U.S. Embassy and Ministry of Trade and Industry Sponsor “Lessons Learned” Seminar on WTO Accession

March 22, 2006
No. 08/06

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Janet Wilgus and State Minister of Trade and Industry, H. E. Ato Ahmed Tusa, on March 22 opened a one and-a-half day seminar at the Hilton Hotel on lessons learned from countries that have previously acceded to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The seminar was sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, (USAID) in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry under the USAID Doha Project for WTO Accession and Participation.

Ethiopia formally applied for WTO membership in January of 2003. A number of donors, including the United States, are supporting the WTO accession process through technical assistance programs. The “Lessons Learned” seminar seeks to answer practical issues such as how to best organize government resources to participate effectively in the accession process, and how to conduct the negotiations successfully. It also consists of a series of interactive panel discussions.

In her opening remarks at the seminar, DCM Janet Wilgus said, “I hope that today’s seminar will enable members of the government and civil society to better understand the WTO accession process. By drawing upon the experiences of other countries, Ethiopia can successfully go through the accession process and reap the benefits of WTO membership.” She noted, “Becoming a member of the WTO will help Ethiopia realize its potential by improving its international competitiveness.  This, in turn, will help Ethiopia to increase exports, reduce poverty, and raise the standard of living for all of its citizens.” 
 
Other speakers at the seminar included Mr. Sok Siphana, Director of Technical Cooperation at the International Trade Centre in Geneva.  Mr. Siphana was chief negotiator for Cambodia’s WTO accession while serving as Secretary of State for Commerce. 

The USAID Doha project, administered by the U.S. firm Booz Allen Hamilton, has assisted a number of countries with WTO accession and has been working at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) since last year. The Project Team is currently reviewing existing laws and regulations and helping to draft new ones.  This legal work is an essential part of the accession process.  The Project also assists with capacity building activities. 

Since 1995, twenty countries, including two least developed ones, have successfully acceded to the WTO.

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