• Ethiopia and Qatar finalized talks to restart meat exports after a prolonged suspension. 

• Restart of meat exports is scheduled ahead of the holy period (Ramadan). 

• The export suspension preceded the new agreement. 

• Qatar is confirmed as a destination market for Ethiopian meat trade. 

• No export volumes, values, or dates were disclosed in the announcement. 

Why it matters?
Resumption of bilateral meat trade restores a previously halted export channel. Timing aligns with an upcoming high-demand period, potentially affecting Ethiopian livestock exporters.

• Ethiopia recorded $5.1 billion in merchandise export revenue in H1 of FY 2025/26, achieving 120% of target. 

• Service exports earned $4.5 billion and remittances contributed $4.6 billion in the same period. 

• FDI inflows reached $2.3 billion in first six months of fiscal year. 

• Export revenue exceeded target by $1.83 billion compared to same period last year. 

• Government pursuing $9.4 billion full-year export revenue goal for FY 2025/26. 

• Minister of Trade highlighted Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy online trade services implementation. 

• Export performance report delivered at six-month performance review in Dessie. 

why it matters? Strong export performance expands foreign exchange earnings and supports Ethiopia’s economic reform agenda, reinforcing trade sector contribution to growth.

• Event dates: 4–8 February 2026 at Meskel Square.

• Participants: ~50 major companies from 20 countries expected.

• Local engagement: 300+ local companies will participate.

• Purpose: Promote exports, trade linkages, investment partnerships.

• Organisers: Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Associations (ECCSA).

  
  

Why it matters:

• Ethiopia lost an estimated USD 24.6 billion to trade-related illicit financial flows (2013–2022). 

• Losses place Ethiopia among the top ten globally for such outflows. 

• Illicit flows result from invoicing mispricing and non-reported trade. 

• Across sub-Saharan Africa, total trade value gaps reached 152.9 billion US dollar in 2022. 

• Report highlights the scale of unrecorded capital movement in foreign trade. 

Why it matters: