Ethiopia and India move to conclude WTO bilateral negotiations swiftly

Addis Ababa, March 27, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia and India have agreed to accelerate the conclusion of their bilateral negotiations as part of Ethiopia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Kassahun Gofe, and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Vedprakash Goyal, held on the sidelines of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaounde.

Reflecting on the discussions, Kassahun Gofe said he held “a fruitful discussion… on bilateral market access opportunities,” noting that Ethiopia has “already concluded bilateral agreements with many countries” as part of efforts to finalize its WTO accession negotiations by 2026. He added that he called for “the expeditious conclusion” of the ongoing negotiations with India.

The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership within the BRICS framework, where both countries participate under the BRICS+ platform.

Kassahun reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to concluding its WTO accession process within the 2026 timeline, underscoring the importance of swiftly finalizing remaining bilateral negotiations.

Piyush Vedprakash Goyal, for his part, reiterated India’s support for Ethiopia’s WTO accession and indicated readiness to conclude the bilateral negotiations within a week. Kassahun noted that the assurance carries “significant implications for both our bilateral and multilateral processes,” adding that India also pledged continued support for Ethiopia’s accession journey.

The progress marks a notable step forward in advancing Ethiopia’s broader multilateral negotiation process.