Ethiopian officials brief development partners on WTO accession and AfCFTA implementation progress
via The Reporter Ethiopia1 min read
Senior officials from Ethiopia's Finance and Trade ministries met with the Development Partners Group DPG to discuss the country's World Trade Organization WTO accession and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA. Semereta Sewasew, a state minister of Finance, affirmed that WTO accession is a government priority. Kassahun Gofe, minister of Trade and Regional Integration, noted significant progress in the WTO accession process over the past year, including three WTO Working Party meetings. The Ministry recently indicated a potential rollback of the ban on fuel-powered vehicle imports as part of WTO efforts, while planning other measures to discourage non-electric vehicle imports. Officials also reported that Ethiopia officially began shipments under the AfCFTA framework in October 2025, establishing trade routes with Kenya, Somalia, and South Africa. Kassahun informed partners that the government has strengthened institutional support by creating the Fund and Project Coordination Office FPCO within his ministry to centralize trade initiatives and improve coordination of partner funding. Representatives from the World Bank, Germany, and UNCTAD commended Ethiopia's progress, highlighting economic reforms, support for customs and SMEs, and efforts to boost manufacturing capacity in agro-processing and leather products.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.
Must ReadOver 4,000 participants have gathered in Addis Ababa for the final conference of Ethiopia's National Dialogue, which began today at the Addis International Convention Center and will continue for several weeks. The conference will address eight main agendas established by the Dialogue Commission NDC after years of nationwide input. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed PhD indicated in his opening remarks that the resolutions could result in constitutional amendments. Mesfin Araya PhD, commissioner of the NDC, urged participants to let their dialogue be guided by wisdom, public interest, and a vision for future generations, emphasizing that their decisions will be crucial for Ethiopia's peace, democratization, and consensus.
Must ReadUS Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga is in Mekelle for discussions with regional leaders and aid organizations. This visit occurs as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front TPLF stated the Pretoria Agreement, which concluded the two-year conflict in November 2022, is “effectively dead.” The TPLF also announced that Tigray’s self-reinstated political leaders would not attend the National Dialogue conference that began today in Addis Ababa. The US embassy indicated that Ambassador Massinga's visit aims to emphasize the critical need for open dialogue and the full implementation of the peace deal to avoid a return to conflict. The embassy statement highlighted that peace and stability enable communities to develop local capacity and move from emergency aid to long-term self-reliance. Last month, the US State Department imposed visa restrictions on hardline TPLF members and their immediate families due to increasing tensions in northern Ethiopia.
Must ReadThe National Bank of Ethiopia NBE plans to cease premium payments to gold suppliers by the end of 2026, according to a recent IMF document. This decision is part of a broader strategy to phase out direct involvement in the gold market, with a longer-term exit plan to be developed by December 2026. The NBE currently pays 5–15 percent above international prices for gold, which the IMF suggests contributes to the parallel market exchange rate. The IMF document also highlights that illicit gold trade fuels the parallel market, hindering efforts to unify official and parallel forex rates. Other factors contributing to persistent parallel market spreads include restrictions on forex access for current account transactions, high bank transaction costs, and the central bank’s forex commission. The IMF projects Ethiopia's strong export performance to continue into 2026/27, with coffee export revenues potentially reaching USD three billion despite a predicted 35 percent decline in international coffee prices since November 2025. The goods trade deficit is expected to narrow slightly to USD 12.6 billion, supported by high gold prices. However, the IMF warns that high fuel prices due to the US-Iran conflict and potential drops in international gold and coffee prices could strain reserves, complicating the goal of achieving 3.5 months of import coverage by the program's end in 2028. Current reserves cover an estimated 2.1 months of imports.