He is looking to buy a second-hand car imported from the Gulf states or Europe - but even they are prohibitively expensive because the government classifies cars as luxury goods. In 2016, government records show that 110,000 cars were imported to Ethiopia, an increase of more than 50% on the previous two years. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has often pointed out plans for Ethiopia to become a leading manufacturer and exporter of locally made cars. Those who can afford imported brands, will choose them over local cars - despite the high taxes charged on used cars, he says. "We often prefer imported cars because we believe they are much better than the Chinese assembled here," one prospective buyer said.

Source: Ethiopian News January 16, 2017 00:29 UTC