After the signing of a bilateral trade agreement last week, Somalia is getting ready to formally start exporting fruit products to neighboring Ethiopia. The trade deal is aimed at curbing smuggling, which had led Somalia to halt livestock exports previously. It also has provisions for trade in services and selected goods like the stimulant plant khat between the nations.
Gebremeskel Chala, Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, said the deal aims to promote mutual benefits in the trade sector between the two nations: “In order to increase production and marketing exchange, the government will play its role so that private business investors are active participants in order to eliminate illegal transactions.”
According to Gebremeskel, Ethiopian authorities provide assistance to private sector stakeholders to navigate bureaucratic problems, ensuring a streamlined process for cross-border business activities.
Source: thereporterethiopia.com