– Hosts 3rd Africa trade , investment summit
– Ethiopia views the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a strategic engine for investment, job creation, value chain development, and regional economic resilience, according to the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI).
This view was reinforced during the 3rd Africa Trade and Investment Summit 2025, hosted in Addis Ababa by the Investment Center of Africa (ICOA) in collaboration with MoTRI. The summit was held under the theme: “Empowering Africa’s Growth through Cross-Border Trade and Investment Synergies.”
Speaking at the summit, MoTRI State Minister Abdulhakim Mulu (PhD) highlighted Africa’s vast economic promise, driven by its rapidly expanding markets, youthful population, and potential in sectors ranging from agriculture and clean energy to digital services and green infrastructure.
Abdulhakim underscored that Ethiopia regards the AfCFTA not merely as a trade pact, but as a transformative tool for driving investment, stimulating job growth, reshaping regional value chains, and reinforcing economic resilience.
He also emphasized Ethiopia’s long-standing commitment to continental unity and economic integration. The country, he noted, has consistently advanced a vision of a peaceful, interconnected, and economically empowered Africa.
Ethiopia’s engagement in flagship projects like the Abbay Dam, which supports regional industrialization, and the Addis-Djibouti Corridor, which links landlocked nations to seaports, demonstrates its belief in collective and investment-driven development for the continent.
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The State Minister further noted that Ethiopia’s ongoing economic reforms are central to this vision. The country is opening previously restricted sectors such as banking, logistics, and telecommunications to foreign investment. It has also launched its first sovereign investment holding company and a national securities exchange. Customs systems are being modernized, and trade and tax regulations are being overhauled to align with both World Trade Organization (WTO) standards and AfCFTA obligations.
According to Abdulhakim, Ethiopia’s AfCFTA National Implementation Strategy is designed to strengthen intra-African investment by promoting value chain development, enhancing sector-specific reforms, and fostering robust regional partnerships. “These actions demonstrate Ethiopia’s firm commitment to making AfCFTA a practical instrument for inclusive growth not only for the country itself but for Africa as a whole,” he concluded.