TRADE AGREEMENT COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 002594 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EM/TPP/MTA EKOCH, AND PASS USTR FOR HIRSH COMMERCE FOR TCCC/4110 MICHAEL ROLLIN USDA FOR ITP/FAS/BERTSCH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON ETRD SUBJECT: TRADE AGREEMENT COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING REF: STATE 152063 ¶1. TRADE AGREEMENT COMPLIANCE IS NOT CURRENTLY AN ISSUE WITH ETHIOPIA, SINCE IT IS NEITHER A MEMBER OF THE WTO NOR A PARTY TO ANY OTHER TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED STATES. POST IS ACTIVE,HOWEVER, IN PROMOTING ETHIOPIA'S USE OF AGOA OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE ITS EXPORTS, AS WELL AS MONITORING PROGRESS AND GOE AGOA ELIGIBILITY. 2.EMBASSY, AS A STRONG ADVOCATE OF AMERICAN BUSINESS, CONTINUOUSLY MONITORS TRADE BARRIERS AND REPORTS ON THEM AS APPROPRIATE. COMMERICIAL COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES ARE HANDLED BY THE POLITICAL ECONOMIC SECTION, WHICH INCLUDES ONE FULL TIME ECONOMIC OFFICER AND AN FSN COMMERCIAL ASSISTANT. POST'S TRADE TEAM ALSO INCLUDES USAID PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTORS WHO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTENCE TO THE GOE IN PEREPARING FOR WTO ACCESSION AS WELL AS ANOTHER PROJECT TEAM ENGAGED IN ENHANCING ETHIOPIA'S COMPETITIVENESS IN AGROBUSINESS EXPORTS. 3.CONTACT PERSON AT POST IS POLITICAL ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KEVIN SULLIVAN. HUDDLESTON