During her stay in the Ethiopian capital, DG Okonjo-Iweala met with a number of African Heads of State and Government and engaged on WTO matters.
DG Okonjo-Iweala and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali exchanged views on Ethiopia’s ambitious economic reforms, noting how the recent liberalization of key sectors such as banking and telecommunications and the introduction of market-based foreign exchange policies can advance the accession process.
The meeting took place ahead of the 5th meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Ethiopia, to be held at the WTO on 19 March. The Working Party will formally resume its work following a five-year pause since the 4th meeting in 2020.
The Prime Minister reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to integrating into the global trading system. He highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to finalize the necessary requirements for WTO accession, including through the Home-Grown Economic Reform Agenda. DG Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the Prime Minister’s strong support for the process, expressing the WTO’s readiness to work together with Ethiopia to achieve its goal of WTO membership.
DG Okonjo-Iweala also met with members of Ethiopia’s Steering Committee on WTO Accession, chaired by Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and Chief Negotiator Kassahun Gofe Balami. The Steering Committee, which comprises senior officials from key ministries and government bodies, is tasked to take policy decisions linked to the accession process. It recently visited the WTO in preparation for the reactivation of the accession negotiations.
DG Okonjo-Iweala expressed appreciation for the serious engagement by the Steering Committee to drive the necessary work toward its conclusion by MC14 in Cameroon. The meeting discussed various steps in the accession roadmap which would guide the finalization of the negotiations.
On the margins of the AU Summit, DG Okonjo-Iweala also met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia to exchange views on the accession of Somalia to the WTO. On 17 February, the delegation of Somalia, led by Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, successfully concluded the 1st meeting of the Working Party.
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