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ITC market analysis tools at frontier of improving data-driven decision-making in Ethiopia

30 June 2016
ITC News
Representatives of business, government and international organizations learn market analysis skills, discuss strengthening of data collection in series of training workshops and seminars.

(Addis Ababa) - Ethiopia is making the analysis and availability of quality trade data a priority, with support from the International Trade Centre (ITC).

Representatives of the ITC Market Analysis and Research team participated in a range of activities aimed at strengthening the country’s quantitative data collection and analysis capabilities in late May.

Supporting regional integration

The African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) – a part of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa – hosted workshops from 16-20 May on trade-related matters, including methods to improve data availability on trade in services and gender statistics. The need for improved quality of trade-related statistics and the importance of capacity building on data collection at the national level were central features of the talks. ITC, for example, has given Malawian national statistical authorities support in this area.

During one of the workshops, ITC representatives Yared Befecadu and Basiel Bogaerts presented ITC’s work on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and its potential impact on African trade. The TTP agreement was signed by 12 Pacific Rim countries earlier this year.

ITC has been a key provider of trade-related data on African regional integration, including tariff data that is currently being used in several ATPC studies.

According to ATPC officials, ITC's contributions to the field have expanded the discourse on trade, remedies, investment and services data as well as analysis of the impact of mega-regional trade agreements on Africa.

A wide set of experts attended the workshops, including representatives from international organizations such as the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, the International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty, the Overseas Development Institute and tralac trade law centre.

Tools to identify trade opportunities


ITC held a capacity-building workshop on data-driven market analysis at the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). The workshop focused on conducting market analysis through the use of market analysis tools, such as ITC’s Trade Map and Market Access Map.

Attendees included representatives of ATA’s analytics team – which ensures broad and long-term impact of ITC’s engagement – as well as the Economic Policy Analysis Unit (EPAU) of the Prime Minister, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations and the Natural Gum Processing and Marketing Enterprise. The workshop was funded by the European Union.

To help participants put theory into practice, they were asked to develop case studies on a product of their choice. Through this, they learned to identify consumer trends, market access requirements and export opportunities for Ethiopian products such as ginger, natural honey and gum arabic.

The workshop focused on strengthening the analytical capacity of key stakeholders in Ethiopia to support the government’s efforts to reach its national economic and development goals through growth programmes and transformation plans. ATA and EPAU are supporting these efforts through policy analysis and technical support.