African Entrepreneurship Record-Chapter 640 - 318 Special Administrative City

However, Italy's development efforts in Ethiopia and Eritrea are indeed quite strong, primarily due to its abundant spillover population, which many European countries cannot emulate.

If Italy had not fragmented again because of Austria-Hungary, and East Africa did not absorb population from the Far East, it's uncertain which would have been stronger if Italy had started developing African colonies a decade or so earlier.

"Alright, since the advantages and disadvantages of this matter cannot be determined now, let's experiment first. We can use Dedradawa City as a trial site. If successful, it can provide references and experience for other border areas in the future. Failure wouldn't result in significant losses, as Dedradawa City is just a small border town that won't have a major impact on our overall strategy." Ernst finally ended the argument.

"Dedradawa City is established as a Special Administrative City, focusing primarily on border trade development, as a trial city for East Africa."

This allows Dedradawa City to prematurely return to its development path, although this time it is not relying on the railroads.

"Dedradawa City is on the southern side of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, with the Dechat River flowing through it. Previously, Kefela City was a center for local agricultural and livestock product distribution with flourishing fur trade, so certain foundations exist. However, the location of Dedradawa City is indeed unfavorable for us in East Africa, especially with poor transport connectivity, requiring the Northern Province and Turkana Province to reopen traditional trade routes."

Previously, East Africa used Dedradawa City as a military base, not merely drawing a circle on the map, but there was already an indigenous settlement called the ancient city of Kefela, a trade node between Somali nations and the Abysinnia Empire.

Dedradawa City is on a traffic artery for Somali and the Ethiopian highlands, but it's quite the opposite for the colossal East Africa, as communication between East Africa's Turkana Province and the Abysinnia Empire is convenient.

As for the Somali region, East Africa's Somali region differs greatly from the traditional Somali; more accurately, East Africa's Somali is South Somali, while many areas in North Somali are not under East Africa's control.

For instance, the Dedradawa City's location on the Alpah Plain, namely the Danakil Depression, is in the North Somali region. Nearby are the French Djibouti colony, the British Somaliland colony, and parts of the Italian Eritrea colony.

East Africa's occupation of Dedradawa is of little significance to itself; even without Dedradawa City, it poses no threat to East Africa's security, as the core of East Africa is in the East African highlands and the southern highlands, the vast central lands have low economic value in this era's view.

The main purpose of Dedradawa City is still for external strategic deterrence, advancing towards Aden Bay in the east, threatening Mand Strait and the Red Sea coast to the north, and reaching the Abysinnia Empire's interior to the west, thus enabling East Africa to achieve multi-directional strikes by stationing troops here.

Conversely, other countries and forces attacking Dedradawa City would not affect East Africa, rather exhausting their living forces here.

The premise being to adequately support the stationed troops with supplies, which is why Northern Province prioritizes grain supply to the Dedradawa district.

In simpler terms, the value of Aden Bay, the Red Sea, Mand Strait, and the Ethiopian highlands is all higher than Dedradawa City; Dedradawa City can afford the upheaval, but they cannot, for if Dedradawa City is gone, it's gone—even if it's destroyed in war, it can be rebuilt, as its scale isn't large, while the aforementioned areas are either related to the main world trade routes or are important regional economies.

"Your Highness, what is a Special Administrative City?"

"You can understand it as a key city with important status and functions, but these are mostly granted administratively."

In the previous life, Dedradawa City was Ethiopia's Special Administrative City, related to Ethiopia's national situation.

Because Ethiopia is quite a constrained landlocked country, after splitting with Eritrea, it lost all coastlines, and due to colonial divisions and historical reasons, Eritrea's relationship with Ethiopia is as hostile as water and fire.

Therefore, Ethiopia's external trade heavily depends on Djibouti's port, and the connection between Djibouti and Ethiopia can only run through the railway, with Dedradawa City as its rail node, showing Dedradawa City's importance to Ethiopia. If it's damaged, it would severely impact Ethiopia's import and export trade, possibly halting it, hence Ethiopia's establishment of Dedradawa City as a Special Administrative City is easily understood.

Understanding Dedradawa City as Trieste of the historical Austria-Hungary Empire, almost the country's only maritime gateway, even though Dedradawa City is not by the sea.

However, East Africa's Special Administrative City doesn't have such high status, Dedradawa Special Administrative City is merely Ernst's whim to echo with Ethiopia's Dedradawa Special Administrative City in the previous life.

East Africa's import and export trade mainly relies on the eastern coastal areas; even if the eastern coast isn't viable, East Africa's western Atlantic coast can serve as outlets, and the importance of Nile River Province, Southern Border Province, and other regions in land import and export trade far exceeds Dedradawa City. Therefore, East Africa doesn't particularly value Dedradawa City's economy.

For Dedradawa City to rise unless Red Sea coastal economy prospers, but this is unlikely, as Sahara Desert alone is a major obstacle to local economic development.

Of course, Ethiopian highlands developing might help. Whether the development is exceptionally good or just reaching the average national standard, it could boost Dedradawa City's economy, as the Abysinnia Empire is large enough.

In the previous life, Ethiopia's population surpassed one hundred million, ranking as a populous nation globally; in this era, Abysinnia Empire's population is around ten million, much larger than many nations, as even Ottoman Empire's population was only around twenty million.

East Africa currently has a population surpassing the Abysinnia Empire, but regarding population density, Abysinnia Empire is far denser than East Africa.

This also proves the Ethiopian highlands are indeed good places, with East Africa and Italy each taking a substantial portion, yet Ethiopia's prime areas still sustain its large population.