WHEREAS, Austria, Finland and Sweden became Member States of the European Union on January 1,1995;

WHEREAS, Ethiopia is one of the parties to the Protocol, on the accession of the aforementioned three States to the Fourth Lome Convention, signed in Mauritius on December 8,1995 between African, Caribbean and Pacific States, on the one hand, and Member States of the European Union, on the other;

WHEREAS, the Protocol enters into force subject to ratification by the signatory States;

WHEREAS, the House of Peoples’ Representatives of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has ratified said Protocol at its session held on the 17th day of December, 1996;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 55 sub-Articles (1) and (12) of the Constitution, it is hereby proclaimed as follows: