WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/47
10December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5217)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: French
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
TUNISIA
Statement byH.E. Mr.Mondher Zenaïdi
Minister ofCommerce
Itisagreat honour formetoaddress, today, thefirstMinisterial Conference oftheWorld
Trade Organization andtoofferyougreetings andbestwishes forsuccess onbehalf ofthePresident
oftheRepublic ofTunisia, ZineElAbidine BenAli.
Iwould liketobegin bypaying aspecial tribute totheGovernment andpeople ofSingapore
fortheirwarm welcome, theirgenerous hospitality, andthespirit ofperfectionism shown throughout
theorganization ofthisConference.
Iwould alsolike,onbehalf ofmyGovernment, tothank andcongratulate theDirector-General
oftheWTO andhisstafffortheirdevotion, theircompetence andtheirsense ofresponsibility.
Finally, Iwould liketothank theMembers oftheWTO, andparticularly ourfellow African
countries, fortheconsideration andconfidence shown towards mycountry inchoosing ustorepresent
Africa among theOfficers oftheConference.
Thiscircumstance isofparticular importance toTunisia which, having acceded totheGATT
in1990, tooktheinitiative ofratifying theWTO Agreement asearly asJanuary 1995 andhastaken
thenecessary steps toimplement theMarrakesh Agreements.
Inkeeping withthatcourse ofaction, Tunisia intends tocontribute tothesuccess ofthis
Conference byengaging actively inconsultations anddialogue.
Sincethechangesof7November1987andalongsideitscomprehensivepoliticalreforms,Tunisia
hasbeenengaged inaprocess ofthorough economic andsocial restructuring affecting investment,
trade, taxation, thefinancial system, privatization andhuman resources.
Inconnectionwiththisoverallreform,whichaimstoachieveintegraldevelopmentandincreased
participation inworld economic activities, Tunisia hasopted foreconomic liberalism andthepromotion
ofprivate initiative throughout theeconomy.
Thesuccess ofTunisia 'sexperiment liesintheprogressive nature ofreform measures, the
complementarity andinterdependence ofthedifferent elements oftheprocess, theconcerted action
ofallofthecountry 'sdriving forces andtheharmony, balance andproper correlation between the
economic andsocial dimensions oftheprocess.
Thanks tothese different reforms, which complimented eachother, Tunisia hasbeenableto
achieve encouraging results inallareas: growth, diversification ofproduction, debtreduction, exports,
reduction ofbalance-of-payments pressure, balancing ofpublic finances andinflation.WT/MIN(96)/ST/47
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Thus, Tunisia wasabletoproceed confidently withtheimplementation oftheWTO Agreements
andbecome thefirstcountry onthesouthern shores oftheMediterranean toconclude anassociation
agreement withtheEuropean Union, ourmain economic partner.
Inkeeping withitsgradual approach, Tunisia allowed foratransitional period toimplement
avastprogramme tobring theeconomy asawhole uptostandard, thereby increasing itscompetitiveness
andenabling ittodealwiththechallenges ofcomplete liberalization.
Thestrengthening oftheability ofenterprises tofaceinternational competition remains akey
element ofthisstrategy.
Thebusiness environment willalsoundergo far-reaching change inallareasrelating tosupport
institutions andadministration, legislation, basic infrastructure andhuman resources.
LikemostoftheAfrican countries, Tunisia isconvinced thatdevelopment isfirstandforemost
anational responsibility.
However, thechallenges ofintegration intoanincreasingly liberalized world economy are
enormous.
Thespectacular development oftechnology andthefreecirculation ofgoods andservices have
meant thatproducts traded ontheworld market must nowbehighly competitive, anditisuptothe
developing countries toacquire thatcompetitiveness.
Thisrequires anenormous effort onthepartofthecountries ofAfrica, andtheydonothave
theresources tofacethechallenge ontheirown.
Thesupport oftheinternational community, inaspirit ofinternational solidarity andcollective
responsibility, isessential tothesuccess ofanypromising experiment bycountries which have
demonstrated theirdetermination andtheirrealdesire toparticipate fullyinthecommendable effort
toliberalize tradeonaninternational scale, conducted under theauspices oftheWTO. World stability
willdepend largely onthestability anddevelopment ofAfrica.
Atthisimportant stage inthehistory oftheWTO, astage devoted inparticular toevaluation
andplanning, ourConference provides anopportunity notonly toreview andassess our
accomplishments, butalsotocollectively establish basic guidelines fortheOrganization 'sfuture.
Iwould liketohighlight twoconcepts inthisconnection: transparency andcooperation.
Against thisbackground ofreadjustment andrestructuring resulting from theestablishment
oftheWTO, itisourparticular responsibility todevelop amuch more flexible approach andtoplace
theimplementation dimension initshistorical context.
While thisprocess requires strengthening, itshould innowaydivert ourattention from, or
cause ustounderestimate, thedifficulties inherent inglobalization oftheworld economy.
With thatinmind, Tunisia hasdecided topush ahead andcontinue implementing its
commitments, taking allthenecessary stepstobecome afullmember ofthemultilateral trade system
andtosupport allappropriate initiatives aimed atstrengthening andconsolidating thatsystem.
Although theimplementation ofthese commitments hasnotposed anyparticular problem for
mycountry, whose economic foundations arenowready fortheintegration oftheagreements intoWT/MIN(96)/ST/47
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itseconomic andlegalsystem, thefactremains thatanyeffort toincrease thepaceoftheliberalization
andglobalization movement could haveadisruptive effect onthedevelopment programmes thathave
beendecided upon andmake itmore difficult andchallenging toimplement ourcommitments inan
appropriate environment andasplanned.
Consequently, wethink thatinreviewing theWTO 'swork programme, dueattention should
bepaidbothtotheneedtoensure adequate participation ofthedeveloping countries, particularly the
African countries, intheOrganization 'swork, andtothenecessity ofenabling theWTO tofacethe
challenges ofthefuture.
Letmealsounderscore ourexpectations, asanAfrican country, withrespect totechnical
assistance. InOctober 1994, wemetatministerial levelinTunis, where weassessed theresults of
theUruguay Round andidentified ourneeds inthatrespect. Wewelcome thecommitment bytheWTO,
UNCTAD andtheITCtocooperate inensuring improved aidforourcountries.
Thiseffort willrequire increased involvement ofthedonor countries andorganizations in
mobilizing theresources needed toimplement theprogramme andthusensure thefullandsuccessful
integration oftheAfrican countries intotheglobal economy.
Iwould alsoliketostress thatweattach greatimportance totheimplementation oftheDecision
onMeasures concerning thePossible Negative Effects oftheReform Programme onLeast Developed
andNetFood-Importing Developing Countries. Wedonotwanttostartadiscussion onthefactors
andreasons leading totheadjustment oftheprice ofcertain foodstuffs; suffice ittosaytosaythat
weareawaiting theapplication oftherecommendations adopted inthatrespect bytheappropriate WTO
bodies.
Asregards plans forthefuture Iwould liketoinsist, without prejudice totheinterests of
individual countries ortoanydecision thatmight bereached onthesubject, onthevirtues ofrational
dialogue andtheadvantages ofmutual consultation.
With respect totheitems intheDeclaration thatdidnotmeet withtheagreement ofall
delegations, weareaware ofthedifficulties andtheconsiderations underlying thereluctance andthe
concern thathasbeenexpressed. Ourchief aimistotrytoensure, however slight ourchances of
success, thatwewillbeabletocontinue ourdiscussions andourwork onthebasis oftheruleof
consensus, which isessential tothefuture ofourOrganization.
Aware ofthecomplexity andsensitivity ofcertain issues which some Members aretrying to
include inthefuture programme oftheWTO, Tunisia isinfavour ofinitiating anyprocess thatwill
enable ustodeepen ourdiscussions, toprepare ourselves sufficiently inadvance andtotakeaccount
ofthelegitimate concerns ofthedeveloping countries, inparticular theAfrican countries.
Iwould liketoconclude mystatement byunderscoring theneedtofacilitate theadmission
toourOrganization ofnewcountries asameans ofconfirming itsuniversal character andofallowing
those countries toparticipate fullyintheliberalization anddevelopment ofinternational trade.