Ethiopia Aiming For Accelerated WTO Access Talks, Somalia Opens WTO Access Process
Ethiopia reaffirmed its commitment to "accelerating its accession process" to the World Trade Organization with aims to conclude talks by the 14th Ministerial Conference in March 2026, the WTO announced. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the country's steering committee on WTO access at the African Union Summit on Feb. 16 to discuss ramping up accession negotiations, the WTO said.
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Okonjo-Iweala and Ahmed swapped views on Ethiopia's economic reforms, noting the nation's "recent liberalization of key sectors such as banking and telecommunications and the introduction of market-based foreign exchange policies." The meeting was held in the run-up to the fifth meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Ethiopia, to be held March 19.
In addition, WTO members expressed their support for Somalia's bid to join the WTO at the first meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of Somalia on Feb. 17, the WTO said. Somali Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama led the government delegation at the WTO, declaring that the meeting marks "a historic moment in the country's journey toward economic recovery, integration into the global trading system, and the realization of the nation's aspirations for sustainable development and prosperity."