US Renews National Emergency, Sanctions on Ethiopia

Sep 14 , 2025

The United States has extended the national emergency and sanctions on Ethiopia for another year under the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA). Signed by President Donald J. Trump, the measure was first declared on September 17, 2021, through an executive order citing the conflict in northern region of the country as an "unusual and extraordinary" threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. The extension, effective until September 17, 2026, keeps in place restrictions targeting individuals and entities linked to the crisis. It was published in the Federal Register and formally transmitted to Congress. Washington pointed to ongoing instability, violence, and human rights concerns as grounds for maintaining the sanctions. The fallout on Ethiopia’s economy has been severe. While exports to the U.S. had surged from under one million dollars in 2000 to nearly 280 million dollars in 2021, recent disruptions have forced 20 companies to halt operations, 18 to exit the country, and left over 11,000 workers jobless. In industrial parks alone, losses have reached 45 million dollars, underscoring the heavy toll of strained trade relations.