The members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commended on 19 March efforts undertaken by Ethiopia to galvanize its WTO accession negotiations after an impasse of five years.
At the 5th meeting of the Working Party on the country’s accession, the Ethiopian delegation said it was ready to work with members to conclude the accession process by the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) that will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2026, according to the statement from the WTO>
Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and WTO Chief Negotiator Kassahun Gofe Balami led the high-level Ethiopian delegation in Geneva. Several senior government officials from the Steering Committee on Accession and experts from ministries and government agencies, including those participating remotely from Addis Ababa, attended the meeting. Members of the Geneva Mission, headed by Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew Daka, also took part.
“Our ambition is to finalize the accession process in the next several months and join the WTO family at the 14th Ministerial Conference, scheduled to take place on African soil, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. With its fast-growing economy and historical role as a leader in the continent, Ethiopia’s accession to the WTO will be a significant achievement for us, for Africa, and indeed for the WTO itself,” said Minister Kassahun in his opening statement.
Under the framework of Ethiopia’s Home-Grown Economic Reform Agenda, Ethiopia has undertaken fundamental reforms regarding its economic policies. Virtually all of these reforms are designed to ensure that its regulatory regime is fully compliant with WTO rules. This has been instrumental in driving structural changes to enhance economic resilience, promote private sector-led growth, and create a conducive business environment that aligns with WTO principles, Dr Kassahun explained.
Ethiopia’s key economic reforms include reform of the foreign exchange system, the establishment of a securities exchange system for long-term financing and the creation of an investment holding for transparent state-owned enterprises. These efforts, alongside overall liberalization of the Ethiopian economy, aim to boost private sector participation in vital economic sectors, driving transformation and growth, said Minister Kassahun.
The Ethiopian delegation said that its goods offer commits the country to bound rates – maximum tariffs – lower than those indicated in the benchmark for least developed countries (LDCs) for the agricultural sector. Moreover, the revised offer on services now includes key sectors such as finance, communications, transportation, education and tourism. Ethiopia also reported that bilateral negotiations have been conducted with 12 WTO members, while it remains committed to continuing these engagements in the weeks and months to come.
Minister Gofe Balami said the accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste in 2024 as the 165th and 166th WTO members respectively have been particularly encouraging for Ethiopia, reaffirming that accessions of LDCs are attainable. “It also strengthens our confidence that WTO members will continue to support our efforts to the end. The success of these two new members inspires Ethiopia to redouble its efforts to finalize its accession as expeditiously as possible,” he stated.
Members stressed that the official resumption of the negotiations in Geneva marked Ethiopia’s strong re-engagement in the accession process. Talks have resumed five years after the 4th meeting of the Working Party on the country’s accession, held on 30 January 2020. Efforts made by the Ethiopian government over the last year to put the accession process on a solid track were also highlighted.
A high-level delegation from Ethiopia’s Steering Committee on WTO Accession led by Minister Kassahun visited the WTO on 5-11 December 2024 to prepare for the reactivation of the country’s accession Working Party. Additionally, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met on 16 February with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the Steering Committee on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa.
WTO Deputy-Director General Xiangchen Zhang chaired the Working Party meeting, temporarily stepping into the role of Rebecca Fisher-Lamb of the United Kingdom. Appreciating Ethiopia’s ambitious accession commitment, he urged the country to utilise it as an opportunity for setting the timeline for coordinating necessary policy decisions for economic reform.
DDG Zhang thanked members and Ethiopia for their constructive engagement. This has allowed the Working Party to make further progress, especially in understanding what actions are required from Ethiopia in the coming months as the accession process enters a critical period, he said.
Members expressed their support for Ethiopia’s efforts to get closer to WTO accession and commended the work done by the authorities to reach that goal. Some stressed that progress should be measured in terms of concrete results and said the process should not be bound by deadlines.
Next steps
Given Ethiopia’s goal to finalize the accession process by MC14, DDG Zhang invited the country and members to intensify market access negotiations, based on its revised market access offers, with a view to concluding agreements as soon as possible. Members interested in initiating market access negotiations with Ethiopia were urged to communicate their requests by the end of April.
On the multilateral front, members were invited to submit written comments by 16 April in order for the WTO Secretariat to update the elements of a draft Working Party Report. Depending on the availability of the required inputs, DDG Zhang assessed that the Working Party could aim at holding the 6th meeting before the summer break. A specific date will be set in consultation with delegations and the WTO Secretariat once the inputs have been received, he said.
Following the Working Party meeting, the WTO Secretariat organized a Round Table on Technical Assistance with Development Partners to discuss Ethiopia’s capacity building needs. The Round Table was attended by members and development partners, including the Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law (ACWL), the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), the European Union, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Bank.
Participants reviewed Ethiopia’s accession-related needs. They also stressed the importance of coordination and timely provision of the necessary support, which will be crucial for advancing the accession process and facilitating the implementation of associated reforms.