Ethiopia resumes talks to join WTO

Addis Ababa, January 29, 2020 (FBC) –After eight years, Ethiopia has resumed discussion to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) .

Mamo Mihretu, Senior Advisor and Chief Trade Negotiator at the PM office, met with WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo in Geneva, Switzerland.

The two discussed ways to expedite the process in Ethiopia’s longstanding efforts to be part of the multilateral trading system.

Last June, Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed established a 10-member national committee to resume the negotiation.

Chaired by Mamo, members of the committee were drawn from PM office, Foreign Affairs, Revenues, Finance as well as Trade and Industry ministries.

Moreover, representatives from the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) and the National Planning and Development Commission were included in the committee assigned to resume the talks.