Ethiopia government confirms commitment to WTO accession process at event in Addis Ababa

On 11 December, the first National Forum dedicated to Ethiopia's WTO accession negotiations was held in Addis Ababa with the participation of senior Ethiopian government officials, representatives from the private sector and from the diplomatic community, and the WTO Secretariat. Underscoring the benefits of WTO membership to Ethiopia's trade and economic development, Ethiopia's Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh confirmed his government's commitment to completing the negotiations as soon as possible. The forum was entitled "Integrating Ethiopia, Transforming Trade".

Ethiopia government confirms commitment to WTO accession process at event in Addis Ababa

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In a written statement Rebecca Fisher-Lamb of the United Kingdom, Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Ethiopia, said that "2025 will be a transformational year". Recalling the steps Ethiopia has taken to reactivate its accession negotiations, she noted that Ethiopia's National Steering Committee visiting the WTO in December 2024 enabled Ethiopia to "reset its accession process and set in motion one of the most dynamic negotiations currently underway."

"After one year of serious and sustained engagement, what I see now is a negotiating machinery that is fully geared up, politically and technically, and an accession process that is gaining an unstoppable momentum," Ms Fisher-Lamb said in her statement.�

Deputy Prime Minister Tiruneh highlighted that Ethiopia has been engaged in the accession process for nearly two decades with the aim of integrating more fully into the global economy. Noting the progress achieved in the past months, he emphasized that Ethiopia's accession journey is underpinned by far-reaching economic and institutional reforms. Ethiopia expressed renewed commitment to WTO accession at the 5th and 6th Working Party meetings in March and September respectively, during which tangible results were made, Deputy Prime Minister Tiruneh highlighted.

"WTO membership will unlock new horizons for Ethiopia, dramatically expanding market access, enhancing transparency and predictability in trade and investment, and positioning our nation as an even more attractive and reliable destination for global partners", he stressed.

H.E. Minister Kassahun Gofe Balami, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and Chief Negotiator for Ethiopia's WTO accession, reaffirmed the government's commitment to accelerating the process through stronger inter-agency coordination and increased stakeholder engagement, emphasising the benefits of WTO membership for the country. "A unified approach to implementation by the government of Ethiopia through effective coordination among government institutions and the private sector is necessary, particularly those directly or indirectly involved in commercial matters", he said.

"WTO accession is most effective when embedded in the country's economic reform", �Ms Fisher-Lamb's statement �noted, highlighting Ethiopia's "Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda". A recent study co-published by the WTO and the International Monetary Fund �shows that on average, economies which have acceded to the WTO grow 1.5 per cent faster than if they had not undergone accession-related reforms. "It is clear that accession can further enhance Ethiopia's already positive growth trajectory and support its development agenda", while also complementing other trade integration processes such as implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the statement said.�

Throughout the process, Ethiopia has submitted 40 negotiating documents to advance the negotiations. The chair's statement added: "In addition to providing responses to well over 1000 questions from WTO members on various aspects of its trade regime, Ethiopia has shared about 400 pieces of legislation with WTO members, accounting for one of the highest numbers among all accessions.

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Preparations are under way for the next Working Party meeting, which could be scheduled to take place in early 2026, subject to the progress made in the accession negotiations.

Information about Ethiopia's accession is available�here.

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