Birr Metrics, 29 September 2025
By Mintesinot Nigussie

Ethiopia to begin AfCFTA trade next week ater initial schedule slip

Ethiopia is set to start trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Thursday, 3 October 2025, after a short postponement caused by a government trip to the World Trade Organization general meeting in Geneva.

At a press conference today, Trade Minister Kassahun Gofe (PhD) said 34 countries have approved Ethiopia’s goods offer. He highlighted strong encouragement from local businesses to get the country fully engaged in the continental market.

He added that discussions on market access and regulatory arrangements for banking, financial services, and other sectors are still ongoing.

The AfCFTA, effective since 2021, aims to create a single African market for goods and services. While tariff reductions on goods have begun, talks on liberalising services—including finance, transport, and communications—remain under way.