Ethiopia finalizes six deals for WTO accession
With 11 of 17 bilateral negotiations concluded, Ethiopia moves closer to joining the World Trade Organization after two decades.
Ethiopia has six bilateral market access negotiations remaining before the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat can draft its schedules on goods and services. During a meeting in Geneva on November 9 and 10, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Yasmin Wohabrebbi Saeed announced that 11 of 17 initiated negotiations are signed. The new government, formed in October, has prioritized WTO membership for its economic reforms.
Once the remaining six agreements are finalized, the WTO Secretariat will consolidate Ethiopia’s commitments for technical verification. Minister Yasmin stated that WTO membership will anchor reforms and reinforce transparency for Africa’s fifth-largest economy. She urged negotiating partners to adopt a pragmatic approach to conclude the remaining deals.
The Ethiopian delegation briefed WTO members on legislative reforms enacted since April, covering foreign exchange, customs, taxation, and trading rights. WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang commended Ethiopia's reform momentum, pledging continued technical assistance.
Why it mattersEthiopia's bid to join the WTO, involving 17 bilateral negotiations, enters a verification phase after finalizing six more deals.