The delegation’s principal partner was the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP), which presented its practical experience with operating zero-emission public transportation in a large European capital. The program also included exchanges on depot operations, vehicle maintenance, passenger information systems, and integrated urban transport management.

Ethiopia has been pursuing the modernization of its public transport sector and the expansion of e-mobility for several years. The growing interest of Ethiopian stakeholders in electric buses and related technologies creates promising opportunities for enhanced Czech-Ethiopian cooperation in the transport sector.

In addition to conventional electric buses and charging infrastructure, Czech companies also offer innovative battery-swapping technology. This solution is already deployed in commercial operation in Prague and Brno by BattSwap, a Czech technology company. Today, Czech firms provide advanced electric buses, charging solutions, and intelligent public transport management systems that can contribute to greener and more efficient urban mobility in Ethiopia.

A key highlight of the visit was the signing of the Prague Declaration on the Addis Ababa Battery Swap Bus Project. The document was signed in Prague by representatives of the Addis Ababa Transport Bureau, Czech bus manufacturer SOR Libchavy, and BattSwap CZ, which operates Europe’s only commercial network of automated battery-swapping stations for electric vehicles in the Czech Republic. Through the declaration, the parties expressed their joint intention to explore the deployment of a battery-swapping electric bus system in Addis Ababa. Such a model can significantly reduce the demands placed on charging infrastructure and the electricity grid. The declaration also references Ethiopia’s preparations for COP32 and highlights the role of innovative transport solutions in supporting sustainable urban development.

• “Ethiopia has no domestic oil resources and no direct access to the sea. All fuel imports must pass through Djibouti. For Ethiopia, electrification is therefore not only an environmental issue but also a matter of economic efficiency and energy security. Given the limitations of the country’s power distribution network, battery swapping offers a more practical solution than building an extensive network of fast-charging stations.”
• Radek Janků
• Founder and CEO, BattSwap

The Embassy of the Czech Republic in Addis Ababa will continue to support partnerships between Czech and Ethiopian stakeholders and foster business cooperation in the field of sustainable transportation.

Prepared by Ing. Roman Plevák, Ph.D., Head of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Section, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Addis Ababa