U.S. trade chief: Ethiopia's duty-free market status to be decided 'soon'

GENEVA, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Katherine Tai, U.S. global traderepresentative, said that the U.S. would "soon" decide onEthiopia's status under the African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA), an agreement which gives it duty-free access to theUnited States.

"Reports coming back to us through official channels andcivil society are not encouraging. What is happening in Ethiopiais a humanitarian crisis," said Tai, referring to ongoingfighting in northern Ethiopia and deepening famine in the regionof Tigray.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; writing by Katharine Houreld) ((katharine.houreld@thomsonreuters.com; + 254 796 142 176;))