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A crumbling rail system in Ethiopia reveals failed promise of China’s Billions in African infrastructure (martinplaut.com)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Today it sits as a daily reminder of the broken promises of China-funded infrastructure investments that swept Africa in recent years. Frequent breakdowns, inadequate maintenance funding and operational constraints mean barely one-third of its 41 trains are operational, ferrying 55,000 passengers a day, a fraction of initial projections.

Once bustling and vibrant train stations now exude an air of desolation and neglect, contrasting sharply with the city’s urgent transportation needs for its almost 4 million residents. Inoperable trains are regularly parked at the railway’s garage, awaiting maintenance.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

Everyone complains about their trains. Whether it's NYC or Paris or Tokyo

[–] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago

Interesting, interesting, so by that logic it's fundamentally impossible for a country to have inadequate rail service and all rails are of equal quality? I'll be sure to let everyone know they can cut all funding because none of it matters.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Everyone also complains about their roads, so what's your point?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (5 children)

My point is this is propaganda

[–] [email protected] 27 points 7 months ago

Yeah, no. Your point is whataboutism in order to deflect from an obvious failure. It's the old hypernormalization approach that dictatorships and their defenders love to use. "If everything's bad, then the countless problems of this autocracy can't be that bad, right?"

[–] [email protected] 26 points 7 months ago

The problems with Ethiopia's rail system and financing are well-known though, you can find articles about it right accross the political spectrum.

Disagreeing with this article's conclusions about it would be valid, but there's no point trying to pretend the facts listed are not facts.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 7 months ago

And you think this because other people complain about trains?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago

Not a very valid point.

Every nation complains about its leaders. Some are still bigger shit heads then others.

Simple fact is human beings are more likely to comment on issues then note boring reliability. It still in no way effects the cross nation comparison.

The best of nations in anything has a right and even need to look for better. That is afterall how progress works.

But you need clear comparisons and data to accusse those complaints of properganda.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Everything is propaganda.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

And freedom is slavery.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Hello, I'm your child and I'm reporting you for talking in your sleep. You are an un-person now.