How Did The Main Roads in Southern Somalia and The Somali Region in Ethiopia Come To Be?

[a_bilan]

By 1925 Italy only had some unpaved lorry tracks in their Somali territory. 10 years into the future, Mussolini had his sights on Addis Ababa and under his command the march for Addis Ababa from Eritrea and Italian Somalia began. From the south General Graziani led a convoy from Mogadishu -> Ferfer-> Mustahil ->Harar -> Dir Dhaba -> Addis Ababa through Goraxai, Dhagaxbuur. This is basically how the main roadway from Harar + Jijiga to Beledwayne was created, Beledwayne to Xamar. Another convoy went from Mogadishu to Negele through Dollo. The interesting part is they originally made the roads as they marched to Addis Ababa (unpaved at this point)

In a short while, Addis was conquered and their emperor fled making it the new capital of the horn and the Italians damn near put all their blood, sweat, tears into making it worthy of this new title. Mogadishu was placed on the back burner for the short lived Italian East African Empire -

For a time, more money was going into the colonies than Italy proper
Just look at this 1940s map by the Italian government.

All roads lead to Rome Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Africa: A total of 2023 miles of pivotal highways in Ethiopia constructed under appalling difficulties in thirteen months actual working time by 60,000 Italians and 60,000 natives have just been completed according to official construction reports as of July 30 detailing work on each of six major road building projects. Of this 1180 miles have been finished in every detail including asphalt surfacing.

Some Italian propaganda poster: "Building roads as a sign of the Italian superiority over nature and indigenous people"

 

[The alchemist]

I bet 80% of the roads were laid on top of caravan paths already used for centuries, and longer.

 

[CABDULWALI XASAN.]

Imma drive it, how much does a car cost

 

[a_bilan]

I bet 80% of the roads were laid on top of caravan paths already used for centuries, and longer.

That probably is the case, encouraging people to settle more permanently along its path after it was paved. Seasonal paths that would flood in the rainy season was one of the reasons the Italians decided to build the roadways

It just looks random on a map. You’d assume the roads in Somali Galbeed would connect to the ports in Mudug or even Zaylac, Berbera but the nearest port it was connected to-> Mogadishu.

 

[a_bilan]

Imma drive it, how much does a car cost

I'm not too sure about the road conditions passed Kebri Dehar but you should be good to drive up until Dir Dhaba.
You'll need to get a car from Somalia- Ethiopia has a weird tax on cars

Import Regulations in Ethiopia for Japan Used Cars | Unet

 

[a_bilan]

An incriminating roadways map of Ethiopia from 2014. The largest part of the country not having any major roadways- I wonder why that is?

 

[CABDULWALI XASAN.]

I'm not too sure about the road conditions passed Kebri Dehar but you should be good to drive up until Dir Dhaba.
You'll need to get a car from Somalia- Ethiopia has a weird tax on cars

Import Regulations in Ethiopia for Japan Used Cars | Unet

Thanks very much for that website I will use it a lot.

Nearly 100% taxes total is downright insane, how does one even import to ethiopia if they dont have a port. Never give them a port. But anyways I think best plan is to import it too mombasa port the drive up.

1. bill of lading (Proof you are owner of transport)
2. original title


Nevermind kenya has outrageous tax and 8 year max car age so I think tanzania is the next option, it will be good to travel maybe climb mount kilimanjaro while im at it.

I wonder if I get a somali passaport if I will need to pay any visas because that would be very good. (Because of eac)

 

[CABDULWALI XASAN.]

I also assume the border is... fluid. I dont know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

An incriminating roadways map of Ethiopia from 2014. The largest part of the country not having any major roadways- I wonder why that is?

View attachment 313328

Thats a bad thing they are neglecting the region but at the same time they want to control it. Also one good thing I see is that for the most part the cities are very well connected in the somali portion. Probably because there arent as much mountains.

 

[a_bilan]

I also assume the border is... fluid. I dont know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

It is, east of Dhagax Buur, Ethiopian laws and government is a suggestion.

 

[The alchemist]

That probably is the case, encouraging people to settle more permanently along its path after it was paved. Seasonal paths that would flood in the rainy season was one of the reasons the Italians decided to build the roadways

It just looks random on a map. You’d assume the roads in Somali Galbeed would connect to the ports in Mudug or even Zaylac, Berbera but the nearest port it was connected to-> Mogadishu.

The colonial period was at the end of the caravan trade. It still existed in the north, connecting Zaila' to Harar. The Italians did not build roads toward the British Somaliland since the French, Italians, and British were in economic competition and wanted to dominate each other.

The Galbeed and Hawd Somaliland had economic contact through an old pastoralists-based trade network that wasn't industrialized.

Here is a colonial period import/export value statement noting coastal cities' productive flow:

Notice the near-equal parity of the commercial trade.

The desert conditions between Somaliland and the modern Ethiopian hinterland made the dominant trading demographics spearheaded and facilitated by Somalis, the reason being the pastoralist advantage, mastering the land typology using adapted camel as a transportation form, effective beast of burden, not something random traders could do.

Here are some old maps.

This one includes Zaila (Adal):

Notice they call Adal "Regnum de Selyam," and it includes what is historically all Somalil lands. This map was from 1554. Regnum means kingdom in Latin.

@Garaad diinle ^

Here is a colonial-era map that even shows the roads, what was under construction, etc., of Somaliland:

UN Archives Geneva

archives.ungeneva.org

Click "Agree," and it'll automatically download.

If you check out that map, it will reveal that there were no roads suitable for motor traffic, but there were plenty for carts and other path types.

There are good maps from that general period here:

Somaliland - UN Archives Geneva

archives.ungeneva.org

 

[a_bilan]

If you check out that map, it will reveal that there were no roads suitable for motor traffic, but there were plenty for carts and other path types.

I finally had the chance to look through the links. Virtually the entire roadway from Beledweyne to Jijiga was built on top of previous cart + regular tracks. Its a great map

 

[The alchemist]

I finally had the chance to look through the links. Virtually the entire roadway from Beledweyne to Jijiga was built on top of previous cart + regular tracks. Its a great map

Glad it was of use.

 

[a_bilan]

American cartoon (7 April 1938) showing Mussolini marching along a road paved with skulls towards 'Conquest'.