Canada voices its support to Ethiopia’s bid for WTO accession

Addis Ababa, March 15, 2025 (FMC) – In a key move to expedite Ethiopia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) accession, Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew held productive discussions with the Ambassador of Canada to WTO, Nadia Theodore.

The talks focused on finalizing the bilateral agreement on goods and services, a key milestone for Ethiopia’s entry into the global trading body.

During the discussion, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN and other International Organization in Geneva and Vienna, Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew, expressed appreciation for Canada’s ongoing support and underscored the importance of this critical stage in Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.

He highlighted Ethiopia’s readiness to conclude negotiations based on revised offers that align with WTO guidelines for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and reflect Ethiopia’s development priorities and the interests of member countries.

He appealed for a swift action to finalize and sign the agreement.

Ambassador Theodore, on her part, reiterated Canada’s strong support for Ethiopia’s WTO accession, confirming that the review of Ethiopia’s revised offers had been completed.

She committed to providing feedback soon and facilitating the negotiation process to ensure a smooth and successful accession.