{
  "id": 19928445,
  "title": "Pakistan, Ethiopia agree to advance trade cooperation, address WTO issues",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/pakistan-ethiopia-agree-to-advance-trade-cooperation-address-wto",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-14T05:39:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40448892/pakistan-ethiopia-agree-to-advance-trade-cooperation-address-wto-issues"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Ethiopia's Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Yasmin Wohabrebbi, convened a virtual meeting to bolster bilateral trade, address WTO accession, and resolve outstanding market-access and pharmaceutical regulatory issues, according to a statement released on Saturday. Jam Kamal reasserted Pakistan's dedication to fostering economic ties with Ethiopia, positioning the country as a vital conduit to East African markets. Reflecting on his prior visit to Ethiopia with a Pakistani business delegation, he lauded the nation's economic advancements and underscored prospects for enhanced collaboration in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles, and investment. The minister stressed the necessity of converting diplomatic goodwill into concrete commercial results, highlighting Pakistan's endeavor to facilitate direct air connectivity with Ethiopia and advocating for the swift resolution of outstanding issues pertaining to WTO market-access negotiations and pharmaceutical registrations. Ethiopian Trade Minister Yasmin Wohabrebbi commended Pakistan's cooperative spirit and briefed the meeting on progress towards Ethiopia's WTO accession, revealing that 11 out of 17 bilateral market-access agreements had been finalized and soliciting Pakistan's support in facilitating the remaining accession process while addressing its legitimate trade interests via ongoing consultations. Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul highlighted the significance of continued technical coordination among relevant institutions to resolve pending pharmaceutical registration matters, promote market access, and ensure practical advancement on agreed trade priorities. He also emphasized the importance of regular follow-ups to eliminate regulatory obstacles and encourage greater private-sector involvement. Both ministers discussed fortifying institutional cooperation, including organizing the Joint Economic Committee, and formulating a practical roadmap to amplify bilateral trade and investment. They expressed their resolve to tackle outstanding matters prior to their anticipated bilateral engagement in February 2027. Upon concluding the meeting, Jam Kamal Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to a robust economic partnership with Ethiopia, emphasizing that prompt decisions and tangible actions would unlock the substantial trade potential between the two nations.",
  "summary": "Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Yasmin Wohabrebbi, held a high-level virtual meeting on Friday to discuss strengthening bilateral trade, Ethiopia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) accession and the early resolution of outstanding market-access and pharmaceutical regulatory issues, read a statement on Saturday. Jam Kamal…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}