Ethiopia has moved closer to securing membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) following the signing of a Bilateral Market Access Protocol with Thailand. The agreement was finalized at the WTO headquarters in Geneva on July 8, 2026.
The protocol was signed by Ambassador Tsegab Kebebew Daka, Ethiopia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, and Ambassador Pimchanok Pitfield, Thailand's Permanent Representative to the WTO and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Tsegab described the agreement as a key development in Ethiopia's ongoing accession negotiations. He stated that WTO membership remains a strategic priority under the government's macroeconomic reform agenda, noting that such agreements help build international confidence in the country's economic direction.
Dr. Kirida Bhaopichitr, Thailand's Vice Minister for Commerce, attended the event and expressed her country's support for Ethiopia’s integration into the global trading system. She noted that the agreement is expected to facilitate stronger bilateral trade and investment ties between the two nations.
Ethiopia continues to work with the WTO Secretariat and the Chair of the WTO Working Party on Ethiopia's Accession to finalize the requirements for full membership. Government officials indicated that each successfully concluded bilateral negotiation serves to reinforce Ethiopia's commitment to a transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system.
