Ethiopia has emerged as an early leader in intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), generating USD 15 million in export revenue through the framework, the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced.
The figure, disclosed during the 9th Sectoral Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum held in Hawassa this week, represents more than 65 percent of the USD 23 million recorded in trade within the active AfCFTA corridor, placing Ethiopia at the forefront of the agreement’s initial implementation phase.
The strong AfCFTA performance caps a record fiscal year for Ethiopia’s export sector. Trade and Regional Integration Minister Kassahun Gofe said total export earnings reached USD 11.195 billion in the 2018 Ethiopian fiscal year, surpassing the government’s USD 9.4 billion target and achieving 119 percent of the planned goal.
Kassahun attributed the gains to sustained policy reforms, institutional strengthening, and improved logistics coordination, while noting that current earnings still fall short of the country’s full economic potential.
The Ministry also reported progress in modernizing the business environment. Over 3.4 million business licenses were processed through newly introduced digital platforms, significantly improving efficiency and service delivery.
In parallel, authorities intensified enforcement measures against illegal trade practices, taking action against more than 93,000 unregistered operators in an effort to strengthen regulatory compliance and ensure fair competition.
Infrastructure expansion has also supported market integration. The government established 805 new weekend market centers over the past year, bringing the nationwide total to more than 2,300 and improving links between rural producers and urban markets.
Efforts to operationalize AfCFTA protocols for both air and land cargo have further eased cross-border trade by reducing long-standing bottlenecks and transit delays, enhancing Ethiopia’s position as a regional logistics hub.
At the same time, Ethiopia is advancing its bid to join the World Trade Organization. Kassahun said negotiations have reached a critical stage following the signing of several bilateral market access agreements, with a final decision on membership expected within the coming year.
