It is a town on the Awash–Assab highway in north-east Ethiopia, having been planned and built to replace Asaita.

[3] The 2002 edition of Ethiopia: the Bradt travel guide described Semera as consisting of "one active filling station (complete with fridge) and a cluster of modern offices and tall apartment blocks in various states of construction – all in mad isolation from any existing settlement!

"[4] The area is served by Semera Airport, which has scheduled service to Addis Ababa.

Radio Ethiopia reported that the inaugural meeting of the Afar Regional Council was held in Semera on 20 July 1995.

Six days later, the Council decided to make Semera its capital city and Amharic its temporary working language.