On Ethiopia's Long Walk to WTO Membership

Abstract

Ethiopia’s formal request to join the WTO was submitted on 13 January 2003, following more than a decade long unilateral trade liberalization pursued as part of the country’s effort to transform itself from a centrally planned to a market-oriented economy. Joining the WTO was considered as an additional step forward fully consistent with the country’s gradual economic transition process. However, more than eleven years down the line, Ethiopia is still nowhere near joining the WTO. Sixteen countries, including seven least-developed economies have joined the global trade body since then. This paper first explores the road travelled so far and that lies ahead in Ethiopia’s longstanding quest for WTO membership with a view to highlight the key issues that are holding back the accession. Then it attempts to examine the recent LDC accession guidelines and their implication for Ethiopia’s aspiration to join the WTO without succumbing to existing members' pressure to make unreasonable market access concessions, especially in its most sensitive sectors. It argues that the new guidelines are unlikely to help Ethiopia win in what appears to be quite an uphill battle.