Addis Ababa, March 18, 2025 (FMC)—Ethiopia’s long-standing ambition to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) is set to take a significant step forward, with crucial negotiations.
The country’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kasshun Gofe led a delegation and held talks with the European Union (EU), focusing on market access opportunities tied to World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.
The delegation, comprising the Steering Committee responsible for bilateral, regional, and WTO negotiations, held a bilateral meeting on Monday regarding market access opportunities in Geneva, Switzerland.
The delegation is also anticipated to negotiate the WTO Working Party Meeting on March 19, 2025, with additional bilateral meetings taking place alongside it.
Ethiopia has spent the past two decades implementing comprehensive economic and trade policy reforms to meet the WTO’s strict requirements.
Now, with the finish line in sight, the nation is preparing for a critical round of talks aimed at finalizing its membership, it was learned.
These negotiations in Geneva will focus on key trade agreements, including market access obligations and necessary adjustments to Ethiopia’s domestic regulations.
These discussions are also part of the final stage of a long process that has seen Ethiopia engage in multiple rounds of negotiations. The fourth round, initially planned for 2020, was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other unforeseen challenges, it was indicated.