Hadera informed on X that the meeting between the Ethiopian delegation of negotiators, including Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Kassahun Gofe, and Okonjo-Iweala, took place on the eve of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, to be held on March 26-29.

The state minister underscored that Addis Ababa has entered a crucial phase of its accession, having successfully concluded bilateral trade agreements with nine countries and made progress in negotiations with the remaining partners.

Okonjo-Iweala announced in March 2025 that she would officially call on African member states to support Ethiopia’s candidacy to join the global body.

The proposal was endorsed by the WTO’s top representative during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, with the local negotiating team, then headed by Gofe.

Okonjo-Iweala affirmed at the time that Ethiopia’s joining to the WTO is her most important initiative and assured her representatives that she would not hesitate to provide any kind of support.

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