ADDIS ABABA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government is set to finalize its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession process in March 2026, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency reported Monday.
Ethiopia plans to conclude its WTO accession process at the organization's 14th Ministerial Conference, to be convened in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, in 2026, Ethiopian Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe was quoted as saying.
Gofe said the recently held fifth round of negotiations with WTO members yielded positive results as Ethiopia witnessed notable reductions in the number of inquiries posed by the members, from some 181 questions in 2020 to 110 now.
He emphasized that 19 countries, along with the World Bank, voiced their support for Ethiopia's accession during the latest round of negotiations. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for July this year.
As part of an effort to accelerate its accession to the WTO, Ethiopia has commenced bilateral market access negotiations with 12 out of 17 countries, adhering to a principle of mutual exchange, the minister said.
Ethiopia has been actively pursuing WTO accession processes since 1999. It has held an observer status since 2003.
With a gross domestic product of more than 206 billion U.S. dollars and a fast-growing economy, Ethiopia's accession to the WTO is expected to create a large market opportunity for WTO members, the minister added. ■
