WT/MIN(24)/ST/35  
26 February  2024 
(24-1513) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR JOZEF SÍKELA  
MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE  
CZECH REPUBLIC  
Let me first thank the United Arab Emirates for hosting the WTO 's thirteenth Ministerial Conference. 
Thank you also to the Director -General, Dr Ngozi, and the WTO Secretariat, for all your efforts to 
support this event.  
I am honored  to address you on behalf of the Czech Republic.  
Back in 2022, we talked about the challenges facing the WTO . The consequences of the COVID -19 
pandemic. R ussia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, which has severely impacted global 
food and energy security. An omnipresent threat of climate change.  
These challenges have not faded away. Quite on the contrary. The new ones appeared or have 
become more obvious: mounting geopolitical tensions, inflation, growing state interventions in the 
economy and risk of subsidy races, the development challenge, as well as a rapid technological 
change.  
The risk of fragmentation of the global economy is real. We must not lose sight of the unparalleled 
benefits of trade for prosperity and growth. And its potential to contribute in responding to the 
challenges of today.  
From the perspective and experience of my Country, the benefits of  multilateral cooperation , 
openness,  and the rules -based international system  are clearly evident. Today, we must stand 
firm in defense of these values and uphold the WTO.  
The WTO which is relevant and fit for the future.  
In this context, the 13th Ministerial Conference comes at the crucia l moment. I would like to align 
myself with the vision presented by Executive Vice -President of European Commission Dombrovskis 
on behalf of the EU. Let me highlight the essential elements  from the point of view of the Czech 
Republic.  
First, a package of outcomes must address the  WTO reform .  
The success of the previous Ministerial Conference brought some optimism and laid the foundations. 
But we need to go further.  
Our top priority is th e dispute settlement system reform . I trust we can build on the excellent work 
done in Geneva and deliver on this core WTO function.   
Complexity of many of the current global challenges impacting trade is unprecedented. There is an 
urgent need to enhance deliberations  – a "soft" function of the WTO. This would enable us to explore 
the nexus of trade and industrial policies  or that of trade and environment and build on these 
discussions in the future . A more realistic, broader, and open mindset may also bene fit some 
long-standing areas of negotiations, including agriculture . WT/MIN(24)/ST/35  
 
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  Second , we need concrete "hard" outcomes in the field of sustainability, food security, digital 
transition . Completion of fisheries subsidies negotiations  is within reach. We simply cannot afford 
to miss this chance. On digital, maintaining the status quo in relation to the e-commerce moratorium  
is the minimum. The Czech Republic has long advocated for a stable and permanent solution. 
Predictability and sta bility would benefit everyone. The opposite would only create uncertainty for 
businesses.    
Third, we must give due consideration to the development challenges  across all the areas of work. 
The upcoming enlargement of the WTO Membership for Comoros and Tim or-Leste  shows that the 
WTO is relevant and able to meet the needs of even the least developed countries. I congratulate 
the two Countries on their successful accession negotiations.   
I am also encouraged by the impressive progress made in the Joint Statem ent Initiatives.  They 
are a good avenue for the Members interested in adding new rules and willing to go faster. At the 
same time, such new agreements will remain open to all Members. And I hope many will join soon. 
This can only bring benefits to the WTO as a whole.  
Dear Colleagues, the current circumstances are extremely difficult. But there are reasons to believe 
that we can succeed, as we don 't have many other options. We have a hard week ahead of us if we 
want to send a positive message of hope for a strengthened multilateral trading order at the end of 
the Conference.  
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