Officials Brief Development Partners On WTO Progress, AfCFTA Developments | The Reporter Ethiopia

Senior officials from the Finance and Trade ministries met today with members of the Development Partners Group (DPG) to deliberate on Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Semereta Sewasew, a state minister of Finance, told the representatives of DPG agencies, which include the World Bank, IMF, UNDP, and the German, Korean, and Japanese development agencies as well as several diplomatic missions, that WTO accession remains a priority for the Ethiopian government.

Kassahun Gofe, minister of Trade and Regional Integration, highlighted the “sustained momentum” of the WTO accession process, which has dragged on for more than two decades. He noted vastly improved progress over the past year, which saw three WTO Working Party meetings.

Last month, the Ministry disclosed it would likely roll back the ban on the import of fuel-powered vehicles as part of its efforts to join the WTO. Officials, however, said they would introduce other measures aimed at discouraging the import of non-electric vehicles.

During this week’s meeting, officials noted that Ethiopia has officially launched shipments under the AfCFTA framework in October 2025, opening trade channels to Kenya, Somalia, and South Africa.

In addition, Kassahun told development partners that the government has taken steps to strengthen institutional support by establishing the Fund and Project Coordination Office (FPCO) within his ministry. This dedicated unit serves as a centralized platform for trade initiatives, promoting transparency, accountability, and better coordination of partner funding with national priorities, according to the Minister.

Representatives from the World Bank, Germany, and UNCTAD commended Ethiopia’s progress. The World Bank praised the country’s economic reforms, Germany highlighted support for customs and SMEs, and UNCTAD emphasized efforts to enhance Ethiopia’s manufacturing capacity, particularly in agro-processing and leather products.