A-13 year RSDP Performance Assessment and launch of RSDP IV Conference Held
A conference which assesses the thirteen years performance of RSDP, organized by ERA has been held in ECA from January 26 - 27, 2011. The participants of the conference are various donors including the World Bank, European Union, ADB, NDF, BADEA, DFID, Governments of Japan, Germany, U.K, Ireland, the Saudi Fund and from the Ethiopian side government officials, the Road Fund, federal ministries, regional roads authorities as well as other stake holders. 
The Road Sector Development Program which aims at restoring Ethiopia’s road network, which has become an obstacle to the sustainability of the economic development program, and to develop institutional capacity of the road agencies to manage properly the networks is scheduled over a period of thirteen years (1997-2010): The first phase of RSDP (1997-2002), the second phase (2003-2007) and the third phase (2007-2010)
Thirteen years have passed since the launch of RSDP. During this time, a total of over 48,000 km of roads were constructed or rehabilitated of which 21,172 km were federal roads and 25,640 km. were newly constructed regional roads. A total of Birr 50 billion was disbursed during the program.
Within thirteen years period of the program, the total classified road network has increased by about 42.6%. The proportion of road in good condition was also increased from 22% in 1997 to 54% in 2009. Generally, the road density increased to 42.6km. /1000 km2 and 0.57km /1000 population.
Side by side the program has been developed to assist in strengthening the management and technical capacity of the road sector to manage the road network. In this regard the program has provided institutional support to strengthen ERA, RRA, RFO, DCI and man power training and different studies to assist in the execution of some elements of the sector emanated from the vast increase activities under the program combined with the general lack of experiences. Furthermore, it addresses a number of policy and institutional support studies such as network planning, road corridor community development plan, poverty impact of transport operations, rural transport, HIV/AIDS and a variety of system studies. The institutional reform study has also been finalized and preparation to start work in the new job and structure is under way.
The workshop will also discuss about the launch of RSDP IV which will be running 2011 - 2014.