AMN PLUS-August 21, 2026
Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe (PhD) announced that Ethiopia has successfully concluded and officially signed its bilateral market access agreement with the United Kingdom as part of the country’s ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) accession process.
Minister Kassahun signed the agreement with the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Darren Welch. He said the agreement was concluded in a manner that safeguards Ethiopia’s national interests and policy space.
According to the Minister, the agreement will further strengthen the longstanding diplomatic, trade, and investment ties between Ethiopia and the United Kingdom. He described it as an important milestone in the two countries’ efforts to support the successful completion of Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.
Ethiopia has previously signed similar bilateral market access agreements with China, Russia, Argentina, Türkiye, Brazil, Japan, India, New Zealand, and Thailand. With the signing of the agreement, the United Kingdom becomes the 10th WTO member to officially sign a bilateral market access agreement with Ethiopia and the 11th to successfully conclude bilateral negotiations with the country.
Minister Kassahun expressed his highest appreciation to the Ethiopian negotiating teams for their significant contributions to this achievement. He also thanked the Government of the United Kingdom for its continued support and partnership in Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.