Ethiopia's trade delegation led by Kassahun Gofe (PhD), a chief negotiator in the WTO accession talks, is reviving a long-stalled effort to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), signalling renewed ambition following a five-year hiatus. He travelled last week to Geneva, Switzerland, where the WTO is headquartered, to conclude negotiations for membership by March next year. If successful, Ethiopia's accession to the world's trade body will be timed, with the 14th ministerial conference set to be held in Yaounde, Cameroon. "Our ambition is to finalise the accession process in the next several months," said Kassahun, minister of Trade & Regional Integration (MoTRI). " His team included State Minister for Finance Eyob Tekalegn (PhD), Customs Commissioner Debele Qebeta, and Woldu Yemsel, director general of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA). Ethiopia’s renewed push follows a prolonged stalemate from January 2020, mirroring economic policy shifts under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s (PhD) administration. Minister Kassahun said his government is ready to engage extensively with WTO members, outlining substantial commitments to lower tariffs on agricultural imports, exceeding benchmarks established for least developed countries (LDCs). Ethiopia has expanded market access offers to include critical sectors such as finance, telecommunications, transportation, education, and tourism. The WTO’s Deputy Director General, Xiangchen Zhang, chairing Ethiopia's accession Working Party meeting, praised the country’s re-energised approach, urging itsb leaders to leverage accession negotiations to consolidate economic reforms. WTO members broadly welcomed Ethiopia’s efforts, although some cautioned against overly rigid timelines, demanding measurable outcomes over symbolic deadlines. Ethiopia’s quest for WTO membership gained momentum following the recent accession of Comoros and Timor-Leste, which joined the organisation earlier in 2024 as its 165th and 166th members, respectively. According to Kassahun, these accessions are encouraging, reinforcing confidence that WTO membership remains achievable for LDCs. The WTO Secretariat organised a technical assistance roundtable with international development partners, including the European Union (EU), the World Bank, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. The meeting called for coordinated international backing for Ethiopia to carry out complex economic reforms and fully integrate into the global trading system. Negotiators anticipate the next critical meeting before the WTO's summer recess, contingent on timely contributions from member countries.
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