1)      General objective

 The overall objective of the assignment is to undertake an evidence-based review of Ethiopia’s implementation of its AfCFTA commitments on trade in services, using the relevant AfCFTA Implementation Review Mechanism framework, and to identify practical measures to strengthen implementation and enable Ethiopian services suppliers to benefit from the AfCFTA.

2)      Specific objectives

•          ASsess the status of Ethiopia’s implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services and relevant commitments, with particular attention to the five priority services sectors.
•    Review the consistency and effectiveness of relevant laws, regulations, policies, institutional arrangements and administrative procedures in supporting Ethiopia’s AfCFTA services commitments.
•        Assess the extent to which Ethiopia’s market access and national treatment commitments are reflected in the domestic regulatory and institutional environment and can be operationalized in practice.
•       identify implementation gaps, regulatory and institutional bottlenecks, and other barriers affecting cross-border trade in services and the participation of Ethiopian services suppliers in African markets.
•     Assess the effectiveness of coordination mechanisms among government institutions, regulators, private-sector organizations and other stakeholders responsible for trade in services.
•       Generate evidence-based recommendations and a practical implementation action plan to address identified gaps and strengthen Ethiopia’s participation in AfCFTA trade in services.

 3)      Anticipated results

•       A comprehensive evidence base on the status of Ethiopia’s implementation of AfCFTA commitments on trade in services is established.
•        The legal, regulatory, institutional and administrative framework affecting Ethiopia’s trade in services is reviewed against relevant AfCFTA commitments and requirements.
•      Key implementation gaps, regulatory constraints, institutional bottlenecks and barriers affecting services trade are identified and prioritized.
•        Stakeholder perspectives from government, regulators, private-sector services suppliers and other relevant actors are incorporated into the review.
•       Practical and prioritized recommendations are developed to strengthen implementation and improve the operating environment for Ethiopian services suppliers.
•         A realistic implementation action plan, including priority actions, responsible institutions and indicative timelines, is developed to support follow-up by relevant stakeholders.

II.      Description of the assignment

1)      Planned activities

 The expert will undertake the following indicative activities, which may be refined in consultation with Expertise France and relevant Ethiopian stakeholders:

1. Review of Ethiopia’s AfCFTA services commitments

•    Review the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, relevant annexes, modalities, decisions/directives and Ethiopia’s applicable Schedules of Specific Commitments.
•        Map Ethiopia’s commitments across the five priority services sectors: business, communication, financial, transport and tourism services.
•     Review the commitments by relevant modes of supply and identify applicable market access and national treatment conditions and limitations.
•          Assess the status of implementation and identify areas where commitments have not yet been fully operationalized.

 2. Legal, regulatory and institutional review

•         review relevant Ethiopian laws, regulations, policies, licensing requirements, administrative procedures and institutional mandates affecting trade in services.
•       Assess the alignment of the domestic framework with Ethiopia’s AfCFTA commitments and relevant transparency, market access and national treatment requirements.
•           Review the roles and coordination arrangements of institutions involved in trade in services, including the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and relevant sector regulators and agencies.
•       Identify regulatory overlaps, gaps, inconsistencies, procedural constraints and institutional capacity issues that may affect implementation.

3. Assessment of services trade and market access conditions

•        Assess the practical conditions faced by Ethiopian services suppliers seeking to supply services in other African markets.
•       Assess opportunities for Ethiopian services suppliers arising from AfCFTA commitments and identify sectors or subsectors with potential for increased intra-African trade.
•        Where relevant, consider the interaction between services trade commitments and related issues such as digitalization, investment, professional mobility and mutual recognition.

4. Stakeholder consultations and validation

•    Develop a stakeholder engagement plan covering relevant government institutions, regulators, private-sector associations, services suppliers, professional bodies and other stakeholders.
•    Conduct interviews, focus-group discussions, consultations and/or targeted surveys to collect evidence on implementation challenges and opportunities.
•       Validate emerging findings with relevant stakeholders and ensure that recommendations reflect institutional mandates and practical implementation realities.
•          facilitate a validation workshop to discuss the findings and agree priority recommendations, where requested.

5. Development of implementation recommendations and action plan

•     Prioritize identified gaps and constraints according to their significance, feasibility and potential impact on AfCFTA services trade.
•       Develop practical recommendations for policy, legal, regulatory, institutional and administrative improvements.
•      Develop a sequenced implementation action plan identifying priority actions, responsible institutions, indicative timelines and, where appropriate, resource or capacity requirements.
•        Identify areas where additional technical assistance, capacity building or stakeholder engagement may be required.

6. Knowledge sharing and capacity building

•     Present findings and recommendations to Expertise France/ECOTRADE and relevant Ethiopian stakeholders.
•      Provide practical guidance to relevant institutions on the application of the AfCFTA implementation review approach to trade in services.
•        Document key lessons and recommendations that can inform future ECOTRADE support to AfCFTA implementation.