WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/79
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2077)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
CHAD
Statement Circulated byH.E. Mr.Djitaingar Djibangar,
Minister forIndustrial, Trade andCrafts Development
Firstofall,onbehalf oftheChadian delegation Ishould liketoconvey toyou,Mr.President,
mywarmest congratulations onyourelection tothechair ofthisConference.
Ialsowishtoexpress ourdeepgratitude totheSwiss Government andpeople fortheirwarm
welcome.
Overthelasttwoyears,ourOrganizationhasmethodicallyanddeterminedlystrivedtoimplement
theSingapore Ministerial Declaration aimed atfurther liberalization oftrade.
Inparallel withthese efforts, ithasapproached development partners withtheaimoffostering
anintegrated approach tohelpdeveloping countries, especially theleast-developed countries, toaugment
theirtradepotential. Inthisrespect, theHigh-Level Meeting heldinGeneva on27and28October 1997
wasapractical manifestation ofWTO 'sglobal integrated planofaction fortheleast-developed countries.
Mycountry, Chad, wishes totaketheopportunity onceagain toconvey itssincere appreciation
totheorganizers ofthismeeting, whohavetaken positive steps notonlywithrespect totraining and
utilizing human resources butalsotobuilding theinstitutional capacity ofLLDCs.
Theimportance ofthisSecond Conference isself-evident when onelooks attheissues tobe
discussed.
Bothdeveloped anddeveloping countries areaware oftheadvantages tobegained fromaglobal
tradeenvironment thatisfree,transparent andstable. Themajority ofLLDCs, more particularly those
inAfrica, despite theirverylimited resources, aremaking strenuous efforts tomeettheirobligations
under thevarious WTO Agreements. Substantial assistance from theWTO inthisareaistheonly
wayofallowing themtoundertake newcommitments andobligations under theintegrated programme.
Withregard toimplementation oftheWTO 'sMultilateral Trade Agreements andtheirspecial
provisions, developing countries ingeneral andAfrican LLDCs urgetheWTO andtheITCtocoordinate
theactivities ofother development partners inorder toelaborate programmes tobuild upthesupply
capacity ofMember States sothattheycanrespond totheopportunities offered bymarket access.
Many LLDCs faceenormous difficulties inadapting theirlegislation totheWTO Agreements.
They sincerely hopethattheseconstraints willbetaken intoaccount when considering newobligations
thatmight ariseinconnection withnewissues.
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They welcome theinitiative taken bytheWTO toorganize seminars onpreparing notifications
within thenextfewmonths. Chad hopes thattechnical assistance fortraining andadvisory services
willbereinforced.
InsuchdiverseareasastradepracticesandcompetitioninAfricaneconomies,regionalintegration
inAfrica, investment andcompetition, government procurement andtheMultilateral Agreement on
Investment, theACP Group, withtheassistance oftheWTO Secretariat, hasdrawn upanumber of
proposals andrecommendations thatshould begiven careful consideration. These proposals and
recommendations meet theneedtoensure abalance among theinterests atstake andthedesire for
equity because theprosperity ofthedeveloping world willleadtotheprosperity ofindustrialized
countries.
Withregard totheMultilateral Agreement onInvestment (MAI), likeother African countries,
ChadwelcomesthisinitiativebytheOECDandcallsontheWTOSecretariattostudythismatterfurther,
working inharmony withtheGeneral Secretariat ofOAU soastoensure thatAfrican concerns receive
dueconsideration.
Iremain convinced that,attheendofthissession, practical measures willbetaken toenhance
theprestige ofourOrganization andensure thatglobal trade isliberalized tothebenefit ofall.
Iwould befailing inmydutyifIdidnottakethisopportunity toexpress mysincere thanks
totheDirector-General oftheWTO forhisconstant accessibility overthepastfewyears andalsoexpress
mygratitude tothechairpersons oftheworking groups forthesubstantial preparatory work carried
out.
Itrustthatourwork willmeetwithfullsuccess and,onceagain, Ithank you.
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