A formal statement from the World Trade Organization indicates that Ethiopia may be eligible to join the World Trade Organization WTO by 2014.

The out-going Director General of the organization Pascal Lamy made this announcement while visiting Ethiopia to hold talks on the potential of Ethiopia joining the World Trade body.

Mr. Lamy met with Ethiopia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Tedros Adhanom to discuss the accession procedures and requirements for membership, which the country has been working to meet for some time in Addis Ababa and made this pronouncement.

Ethiopia made its initial application to become part of the WTO in 2003, and a Working Party to consider and guide the country’s accession was set up in February of the same year.

Key issues pertaining to Ethiopia joining the WTO have surrounded the opening up of currently state-monopolized sectors, such as the telecommunications and finance sectors, while the country has also been called upon to allow investment by foreign entities.

The current announcement by Lamy indicates that Ethiopia may be nearing completion of all the transformations required by the organization, with the Director General’s visit also intended to provide specific advice in order that the final stages of accession may be swift.

If Ethiopia is able to join the World Trade Body, it will be a major achievement for Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn who took over the country after the death of his predecessor and long term leader Meles Zenawi.

Once Ethiopia meets all of the requirements set out for accession, the final decision regarding membership will fall to the member countries of the WTO, who must all sign and ratify an accession agreement granting full membership.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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