Ethiopia Signs Bilateral Trade Agreement with Canada

Ethiopia has finalized a bilateral market access agreement with Canada as part of its ongoing bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement, signed on October 27 in Geneva, comes just ahead of the WTO Working Party's eighth meeting on Ethiopia's accession, scheduled for November 9–10, 2026. Officials stated that the deal aims to foster trade and investment in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and logistics. Tsegab Kebebew, Ethiopia’s representative in Geneva, framed the agreement within the context of the country's broader macroeconomic reforms. While specific tariff and market access details were not disclosed, the deal marks progress in Ethiopia's two-decade-long accession process. Ethiopia has been seeking WTO membership since 2003, with the government now aligning its trade policies with international standards.