ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR) has launched the construction of a railway expansion project, connecting an industrial park on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to the main Ethiopia-Djibouti railway line.

EDR Chief Executive Officer Takele Uma, addressing the launching event on Thursday, said the new project is the official start of EDR's journey in connecting the railway line with industrial parks, free trade zones, agro-processing zones, and logistics centers by utilizing domestic engineering expertise.

"In addition to jointly and successfully constructing the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, along with Ethiopia and Djibouti, our Chinese brothers have been actively working with us in managing and operating the railway line for six years," Uma said.

In May last year, the Chinese management contractors of the Ethiopia-Djibouti standard gauge railway officially handed over the railway's management and operation to Ethiopia and Djibouti after six years of successful experience-sharing operations.

According to Uma, the newly launched construction of a three-km railway line connecting AMG Industrial Park on the outskirts of Addis Ababa to the main railway line is set to be completed within the coming six months, which will eventually mark "a major milestone" in EDR's capability to undertake major railway infrastructure construction projects using local expertise and capacity.

"This railway construction project is a pioneering and unique testament to our homegrown revolution, one that we are designing and constructing with our own engineers and expertise. Going forward, our ambition is to carry out similar railway construction projects in Ethiopia and beyond, across the African continent," the EDR chief added.

According to EDR, the construction of the new project, which will be fully executed by EDR engineering experts, from design and project management to full-scale construction, represents "a massive step forward" for local expertise and capacity building in the sector.

It said the "historic move" will inject new impetus into EDR's aspiration to transport industrial products and other export commodities directly from industrial facilities to ports at an "unmatched speed and service."

Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics Alemu Sime said that as Ethiopia officially commenced the implementation phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement through initial exports of its key commodities to other African nations, the government has placed considerable emphasis on promoting regional economic integration. Expanding railway and other critical infrastructure is a crucial element of the East African country's goal to enhance regional integration.

"The construction of this railway line, which will be entirely executed using our domestic capacity from design to construction, demonstrates that Ethiopia's initiative to achieve prosperity through self-reliance is yielding positive results," he said.

The minister said that as the country's first-ever privately financed railway construction project, the newly launched expansion project lays the foundation for EDR and the two connected countries' economic future.

Jointly constructed by China Railway Engineering Corporation and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the 752-km standard-gauge railway, also known as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, is Africa's first electrified transboundary rail line. ■