Ethiopian Exporters Association

Ethiopian Exporters Association
Name	Ethiopian Exporters Association
Founded	1960s
Headquarters	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Area served	Ethiopia

Ethiopian Exporters Association is a trade association representing exporters based in Addis Ababa and regional cities such as Dire Dawa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Hawassa, Mekelle and Bishoftu. It operates alongside institutions like the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (Ethiopia), National Bank of Ethiopia and Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority to coordinate export promotion for products originating from regions such as Amhara Region, Oromia Region, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region and Tigray Region. The association engages with multilateral organizations including the World Trade Organization, International Trade Centre, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and World Bank on market access and trade facilitation issues.

History

The association traces developments to trade merchants active during the reign of Haile Selassie and the industrialization drives of the Derg period, with modernization accelerated during economic reforms linked to the FDRE Constitution era and the liberalization measures of the 1990s. It has interacted with regional initiatives such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and continental frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area negotiations. Milestones include participation in fairs such as the Addis Ababa Trade Fair, delegation trips to countries including China, Germany, United States, United Arab Emirates and India, and policy dialogues following shocks like the 2007–2008 world food price crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Structure and Governance

Governance mirrors models practiced by chambers such as the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations and trade bodies akin to the International Chamber of Commerce, with elected boards, executive directors and technical committees focused on sectors like coffee, textile, leather and floriculture. It liaises with regulatory institutions including the Ministry of Finance (Ethiopia), Ministry of Agriculture (Ethiopia), Ethiopian Standards Agency and the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute. The association’s governance draws on best practices from bodies such as Export–Import Bank of India, Japan External Trade Organization and UK Department for International Trade through memoranda and technical cooperation.

Membership and Services

Members comprise exporters of commodities such as coffee, sesame, livestock, horticulture, cut flowers, oilseeds, pulses, spices, processed foods, textiles, garments and leather products located in cities like Adama (Nazret), Asmara (historical trade linkages), Kombolcha and Jimma. Services include market intelligence, capacity building, quality assurance coordination with ISO, export documentation support with Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise, and advocacy alongside Federation of Ethiopian National Associations of Women Entrepreneurs. It provides training leveraging partners such as United Nations Industrial Development Organization, USAID, European Union and German Agency for International Cooperation.

Role in Ethiopian Trade and Policy

The association participates in policy consultations with entities like the House of Peoples' Representatives (Ethiopia), engages with fiscal authorities such as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Revenue and interacts with customs modernization initiatives supported by the World Customs Organization. It contributes to strategic export development plans paralleling national programs including the Growth and Transformation Plan and the Homegrown Economic Reform agenda, addressing barriers highlighted by studies from the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank and Overseas Development Institute. The association also coordinates responses to non-tariff measures enforced by partners such as the European Union, United Kingdom, China Customs and United States Department of Agriculture.

Major Export Sectors and Programs

Key programs target flagship sectors: coffee export promotion linked to systems like Coffee and Tea Authority (Ethiopia), horticulture and floriculture promotion aligned with Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association, leather and leather products development echoing initiatives from the Leather Industry Development Institute, and textile and garment export support reflecting collaborations with Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute. Trade promotion campaigns have targeted markets including Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea and Kenya. Programs emphasize standards compliance with Codex Alimentarius, phytosanitary measures coordinated with the Food and Agriculture Organization, and traceability linked to certification schemes like Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, Fairtrade International and GlobalG.A.P..

International Partnerships and Trade Promotion

The association forges bilateral and multilateral links with organizations such as the International Trade Centre, African Union, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Commonwealth Secretariat and national export promotion agencies like Enterprise Ireland, ProColombia, Japan External Trade Organization and US Commercial Service. It organizes trade missions, participates in expos such as Canton Fair, Fruit Logistica, SIAL Paris, BIOFACH and London Fashion Week for textile buyers, and engages logistics partners including DP World, Maersk, Ethiopian Airlines and DHL. Collaboration extends to standards bodies like ISO and certification networks including GlobalG.A.P. and Fairtrade International, and to financing agencies such as African Export–Import Bank, IFC, EXIM Bank of India and European Investment Bank.

Category:Trade associations Category:Organisations based in Addis Ababa