The first chamber of commerce was founded in Marseilles, France in1559. Four hundred years later, the concept of chamber of commerce was introduced to Ethiopia for the first time around 1943. The need to establish chamber of commerce basically emanated from the economic crisis which the country experienced soon after the end of Italian occupation. Especially, the scarcity of cotton, yarn, and woolen was believed to be the main reason for the establishment of chamber in the country.
Cognizant of the role chamber would play in stabilizing the national business activities, the Government issued a charter in 1947 to legally establish the chamber as an important institution. And the first chamber of commerce, in the history of Ethiopia, was established under the title the “Addis Ababa Business Operators” pursuant to General Notice No.90/47. This was a turning point in the history of the genesis of chambers development in Ethiopia. The Charter, which was a private law, clearly defined the functions and duties of chamber and membership was voluntary. In 1971 the same chamber was renamed the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce (ECC) with branches in Asmara, Dire Dawa, Jimma, Gonder, and Nazareth.
Following the change of government in1974, Proclamation No. 148/74, which was basically a public law, was promulgated and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce was re-structured in line with centrally planned economic policy of the defunct government. Accordingly, membership became mandatory and city chambers were allowed to decide on who should be a member from the non-government sector.
The chambers’ activities during this time were focused on export promotion, participation in international trade fairs, conducting research on trade constraints, preparation of publications on trade and the establishment of relations with other chambers.
In 1992, the incumbent government promulgated Proclamation No. 341/2003 to re-constitute chambers of commerce in light of free market economic policy and the federal arrangements of the country. Accordingly, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce has been restructured and re-named as the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations (ECCSA) on April 2007, with full representation of sector associations.
The Government has recognized the role of the private sector as an engine of economic development and the dire need to further strengthen it. In its Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program(SDPRP), the government has re-stated its desire for viable and sustainable public private partnership.
ECCSA, as the private sector representative, is expected to take the lead in improving the business environment, provide feed back to the government on the impediments facing the private sector, improving the private sector trough entrepreneurial development and provide business information, organize seminars, trainings, exhibitions.
ECCSA is currently aggressively striving to:
- provide different services to members and the business community;
- safeguard the overall rights and benefits of members and the business community;
- promote and publicize products and services of the country;
- enhance trade and investment of the country;
- serve as a bridge between the business society and the government;
- support members build their capacity