Ban on fuel-driven car imports for missions

Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry has prohibited diplomatic and consular missions in the country from purchasing and importing cars that use petrol or diesel. In February, Ethiopia banned imports of fossil-fuel cars to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles as part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions. The Kenyan Wall Street reports that Ethiopia has an ambitious projection of 150 000 electric vehicles on its roads by 2030 but challenges like sparse charging infrastructure persist. ‘The Ministry wishes to inform all diplomatic and consular missions, regional and international organisations in Addis Ababa that in light of the pressing challenges posed by climate change and Ethiopia’s commitment to contribute to emission reduction and transition to renewable energy, the importation of vehicles using fuels (petrol and diesel) for internal combustion engines is prohibited,’ the statement said. The Ethiopian Government reports that there are 100 000 EVs in the country and believes the ban on fossil-fuel cars is a viable policy. The move is also prompted by the government’s intention to reduce fuel imports by 50% and optimise usage of its cheap renewable electricity – 90% of it from Hydro Electric generation. To stimulate the transition, the country also slashed import taxes on both fully-assembled and partially-assembled EVs, as well as their spare parts.

Full report in The Kenyan Wall Street