Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to statements made at an event in Addis Ababa. The country's accession process, which has spanned nearly two decades, is moving forward with renewed momentum following a series of meetings and reforms.
Rebecca Fisher-Lamb of the United Kingdom, Chairperson of the Working Party on the Accession of Ethiopia, stated in a written message that "2025 will be a transformational year." She noted that recent steps taken by Ethiopia, including a visit from its National Steering Committee to the WTO in December 2024, have allowed the country to "reset its accession process and set in motion one of the most dynamic negotiations currently underway."
Ms Fisher-Lamb added: "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."
Deputy Prime Minister Tiruneh emphasized Ethiopia's longstanding efforts to join the WTO as part of broader economic integration goals. He highlighted progress achieved in recent months and said that ongoing economic and institutional reforms are central to these efforts. According to Deputy Prime Minister Tiruneh, Ethiopia expressed renewed commitment during the 5th and 6th Working Party meetings held in March and September respectively, where tangible results were achieved.
"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 said.
Minister Kassahun Gofe Balami, who serves as both Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and Chief Negotiator for Ethiopia's WTO accession, reiterated the government's intention to speed up the process through better coordination among agencies and greater involvement from stakeholders. He stressed: "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."
Ms Fisher-Lamb also commented on how WTO accession should align with national economic reforms such as Ethiopia's Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda. She cited research co-published by the WTO and International Monetary Fund indicating that countries which join the WTO typically experience faster growth—on average 1.5 percent higher than those not undertaking accession-related reforms. The statement concluded: "It is clear that accession can further enhance Ethiopia's already positive growth trajectory and support its development agenda," while noting it would complement other regional initiatives like implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Ethiopia has submitted 40 negotiating documents during this process. Ms Fisher-Lamb’s statement detailed: "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."
Preparations are ongoing for another Working Party meeting expected in early 2026 if negotiations continue progressing.
Further details about Ethiopia’s path toward WTO membership can be found at https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/a1_ethiopia_e.htm.