Ethiopian Review

Ethiopia’s WTO accession process should involve the active participation of all stakeholders, a private consultant hired by the Addis Ababa Chambers of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA) said Thursday.

At a workshop organized at the Ghion Hotel by the AACCA on the impact and prospect of joining the WTO, Dr. Bekri Yusuf said that the question that needs an urgent answer is not whether it would be beneficial to proceed with the WTO accession process but how to make it all-inclusive. “How should Ethiopia go about ensuring the active participation of all stakeholders and diverse points of view in the accession process so that national interests are safe guarded?” Dr Bekri said.

“The current instutional structure excludes some key stakeholders, particularly those in the private sector and in civil society. As a body through which the government seeks to garner support, the national steering committee should have its members to be representatives of all stakeholders and of diverse points. Why? Because that is the only way that the country can make it sure that its national interests are safeguarded during the accession process. The current structure should, therefore, be broadened to include the private sector and civil society, he added. The WTO accession had several challenges. However, he said Ethiopia should take measures to meet the possible challenges and optimize the advantages.

Ethiopia has been accorded an observer status at the WTO since 1997. Ethiopia’s request for accession was circulated in January 2003. A month later, the WTO general council established an accession working party. Ethiopia submitted its Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) to the WTO secretariat in December 2006, following the approval by the council of ministers. MFTR was prepared by a technical committee whose members were drawn from various public institutions.

- By Kaleyesus Bekele | EthiopianReporter