Addis Ababa — Ethiopia and China have officially signed a bilateral market access protocol at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, marking a decisive step in Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.
The document was signed by Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew, Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, and Ambassador Li Yongjie, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the WTO.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “this major breakthrough results from constructive dialogue and in-depth technical negotiations between the two countries.
It demonstrates their shared commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and promoting a fair, inclusive, and rules-based international trading system.”
The signing of the protocol marks the completion of bilateral market access negotiations between Ethiopia and China, covering trade in goods and services, as part of Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.
Ethiopia will now continue its bilateral negotiations with other partners and consolidate its multilateral commitments to achieve full accession to the organization.
By advancing towards full WTO membership, Ethiopia reaffirms its commitment to an open, fair, and development-friendly trading system — a system that supports national economic transformation, regional integration, and the pan-African vision of equitable participation in the global economy.