Rebecca Fisher Lamb, ambassador to the Economic Agencies in Geneva and deputy Perm Rep to the World Trade Organization was appointed the previous week to chair the working party that reviews Ethiopia's accession process to the full membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Organization founded in 1995 to serve as a forum for establishing trade agreements, resolving trade disputes and liberalising global trade, currently has 25 countries under the observatory status. Following a nearly three-decade status as an observatory, Ethiopia has kicked up its efforts this year to gain membership in WTO, the largest trade organization consisting of 164 members with the latest entrant being Afghanistan in 2016. The accession process commences with the submission of a formal written request for accession by the applicant government. This request is considered by the General Council which establishes a working party, open to all members of WTO, to examine the accession request and submit the findings to the General Council for approval.

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