Ethiopia has advanced its long-running bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) at an eighth Working Party meeting in Geneva, urging member states to match its political commitment with pragmatism as the talks enter their final phase.

The meeting, held on 9 and 10 November, brought Ethiopia's delegation face to face with WTO members to resolve remaining multilateral issues and map the last steps towards membership of the global trade body, according to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).

Delegation led by trade minister

Trade Minister and Chief Negotiator Yasmin Wohabrebbi led the Ethiopian delegation, accompanied by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hadera Abera and other officials, the foreign ministry said.

The delegation told the meeting that WTO membership is a top national priority, building on economic reforms introduced after a new government was formed in October. Ethiopia first launched its accession process in 2003, making it one of the longest-running membership negotiations in the organisation's history.

Progress reported at the meeting includes the review of more than 460 legal instruments, the submission of updated accession documents and the enactment of reforms to align Ethiopian law with WTO rules.

Market access talks near conclusion

Minister Yasmin said Ethiopia is ready to conclude its remaining bilateral market access negotiations, while asking members for a flexible, development-sensitive approach that takes account of the country's level of development.

WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang and member states welcomed Ethiopia's reforms and expressed support for integrating its market of 130 million people into the global trading system, ENA reported.

Ethiopia has already concluded bilateral market-access negotiations with seven WTO member states, and its accession document has advanced from an outline to a full draft Working Party report, a step that normally signals the final phase of negotiations. The seventh Working Party meeting was held on 22 and 23 April 2026.

Why membership matters

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has praised Ethiopia's progress, welcoming its commitment to complete the accession process by 2026 and describing it as a sign of strong national leadership and ongoing economic reform.

Joining the WTO is expected to support Ethiopia's economic growth and export expansion, and to deepen its integration into regional frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Geneva meeting aims to settle the outstanding multilateral questions so that a final accession package can be put before the WTO General Council for approval, the last legal hurdle before membership takes effect.