The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced that Ethiopia has finalized preparations for the sixth Working Party meeting on its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession, scheduled for September 26, 2025, in Geneva.

Minister Kassahun Gofe (PhD) wrote on his social media page that the National Negotiation Committee convened in Bishoftu, 40 kilometres from the capital, this week to review technical work, refine negotiation strategies, and ensure Ethiopia meets procedural and legislative requirements ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference in Cameroon in March 2026.

He reported that Ethiopia has responded to more than 209 questions from WTO members, submitted 51 revised legislative instruments, and circulated 32 schedules of commitments. Bilateral market access discussions are ongoing with 18 members, while technical negotiations have been concluded with China, Russia, Argentina, Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

Kassahun (PhD) added that the “upcoming session will draw on lessons from the fifth Working Party meeting, while remaining activities will be closely monitored to maintain momentum.”

Ethiopia first applied for WTO membership in 2003, but negotiations stalled for more than a decade before resuming in 2019. Since then, the government has sought to accelerate the process, building on lessons from previous rounds of talks and steadily aligning domestic trade and regulatory frameworks with international standards.

The minister noted that remaining activities would be closely monitored to ensure progress ahead of the Geneva session.