The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) and DHL Express Ethiopia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the export capacity and international market access of Ethiopia’s coffee sector.
The partnership, signed on November 3 under DHL’s GoTrade programme, will focus on improving the knowledge and skills of Ethiopian coffee exporters and businesses in international trade, export procedures, logistics, customs requirements and access to global markets.
The agreement was facilitated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) through the ACT Coffee Programme’s Compliance pillar, which supports coffee-sector stakeholders in meeting international trade, quality and regulatory requirements.
Under the agreement, ECTA and DHL Express Ethiopia will conduct targeted capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities for coffee exporters, enterprises and professionals. DHL will provide expertise in international shipping, logistics, customs procedures and cross-border trade, while ECTA will identify beneficiaries and ensure the activities address the priorities of Ethiopia’s coffee sector.
“This partnership represents an important step towards equipping Ethiopian coffee enterprises and professionals with the practical knowledge and skills needed to compete more effectively in international markets,” ECTA Director Office head Sefissa Ababu said.
He added that strengthening export readiness and logistics capabilities would help improve competitiveness, value addition and sustainable growth across the coffee sector.
DHL Express Ethiopia Commercial Manager Yonas Sbhat said Ethiopian coffee continues to enjoy strong international demand, but changing customs requirements, regulatory standards and logistics challenges can create barriers to market access, particularly for growing businesses.
“Strengthening knowledge of international trade and cross-border processes enables exporters to compete successfully and expand into new markets,” Yonas said.
The cooperation has already supported a nine-month capacity-building programme involving about 30 participants from private coffee enterprises and ECTA.
The programme covered international trade, logistics, export documentation and customs procedures.
UNIDO said the MoU represents a practical outcome of the ACT Coffee Programme’s Compliance pillar and demonstrates how public-private cooperation can strengthen Ethiopia’s coffee value chain.
The organization said the partnership combines ECTA’s sector leadership with DHL’s international logistics expertise to help Ethiopian coffee enterprises meet international requirements, expand market access and improve their competitiveness.
The initiative is expected to improve export efficiency, support business growth and create new opportunities for Ethiopian coffee businesses in regional and international markets.