WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/102
12December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5281)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
ZAMBIA
Statement bytheHonourable Alfayo Hambayi, M.P.
Minister ofCommerce, Trade andIndustry
Allow metopaytribute totheGovernment ofSingapore fortheexcellent facilities theyhave
placed atmydelegation 'sdisposal. Iwishalsotocommend themanagement oftheWorld Trade
Organization (WTO) fortheadministrative steps taken toensure thatthisConference isasuccess.
Iamsurethatunder thisexcellent environment theConference willachieve itsobjectives.
Theholding ofthisfirstWTO Ministerial Conference reflects, inmany ways, acorrect and
appropriate reading ofthemood anddesire ofthemany countries present here. ForusinZambia,
there isfullcommitment totheprocess ofadvancing thepaceofsocio-economic development ofour
people. There isafirmrealization inourcountry thatasustainable basisforreducing poverty among
ourpeople,achievingenhancedeconomicgrowthandcreatingproductivejobscannotbeattainedwithout
doing business withtherestoftheworld particularly through trade.
Weaccept thepremise thatinternational trade isanessential ingredient forsocio-economic
development. Wearetherefore happy tobepresent atthisConference asitwillgiveusanopportunity
toshare views, onmatters ofmutual interest, withdistinguished delegates fromother countries. We
areaware thatalothasbeenachieved sincetheconclusion oftheUruguay Round ofMultilateral Trade
Negotiations. However, much remains tobedoneasthere aremany issues yettobeaddressed and
concluded. Forexample, itcanbesafely stated thatglobal tradehashaduneven impact ondeveloping
countries,especiallytheleastdevelopedones.Thesecountriesarehavingseriousproblemsofintegration
intothemultilateral trading system andarebeing marginalized. Thisisduetoanumber offactors
including lackofadequate financial resources todevelop theireconomic andsocio-infrastructure and
toenable them tobuild productive capacities. Thelimited availability ofqualified human resources
isalsoaserious obstacle tothese countries.
Mycountry hasembarked onandisimplementing aboldandwide-ranging programme of
economic reforms which hasgiven prominence totheprivate sector. Wehaveremoved cumbersome
investment legislation andprocedures and,haveintroduced generous investment packages insupport
ofthiseffort. Wehaveliberalized theforeign exchange andforeign traderegimes, i.e.wehaveabolished
foreign exchange controls andimport licensing. Mycountry offers immense andcountless opportunities
inagriculture, mining, tourism andmanufacturing tomention butafewareas. Through thesemeasures
andopportunities itisourhopethatinvestors willbeattracted toinvest inZambia sothatourcountry
cantakeitsrightful place andmeaningfully participate inthegrowing global economy.
ZambiaisamemberoftheSouthernAfricanDevelopmentCommunity(SADC)andtheCommon
Market forEastern andSouthern Africa (COMESA). Thetworegional groupings offertheopportunities
ofalarger market thancanbeoffered byanyone oftheindividual Member States. Within theseregional
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groupings wearetaking positive steps towards harmonizing trading arrangements including tariff
reductions andremoval ofnon-tariff barriers.
WeinZambia fullyappreciate theimportant roleforeign direct investment canplayinthe
development ofourcountry. Wealsoappreciate thatpolitical harmony andstability areessential to
attract foreign investment. Inthisrespect, Iamhappy toreport tothisdistinguished gathering that,
since theintroduction ofplural politics in1991, Zambia hasenjoyed andcontinues toenjoy peace,
stability anddemocratic governance. On18November thisyear,Zambia heldpeaceful anddemocratic
elections which werecontested byfiveopposition parties andalargenumber ofindependent candidates.
These elections werearesounding victory forouryoung democracy andthefreemarket policies that
myGovernment putinplace fiveyears ago.
Inordertoavoidcontinuedmarginalizationofdevelopingcountries,especiallytheleastdeveloped
ones, andinorder toensure thatthese countries meaningfully participate inthegrowing global trade
itisimportant thatMember States ofWTO andtheinternational community atlarge address issues
ofparticular interest toleastdeveloped countries asamatter ofurgency. External debthasbecome
andcontinues tobeaserious burden forleastdeveloped countries (LDCs), yetthese countries are
expected tointegrate themselves intotheinternational trading environment. Webelieve thatthe
promotion ofmeaningful trade among nations requires financial resources. Therefore, weurgeour
development andtrading partners toadopt measures thatwillfacilitate efforts tomeetourobligations
under different trade agreements.
Somedevelopingcountrieswillrequiretechnicalassistancetodevelopandreformtheirdomestic
legislation tobring itinconformity withWTO requirements. Theimportance ofthisaspect inthe
implementation oftheUruguay Round Agreements cannot beover-emphasized andwillundoubtedly
require maximum support fromtheWTO. TheWTO should continue torecognize theproblems faced
byLDCsandmydelegationwouldlikethisMinisterialConferencetoreaffirmtheMarrakeshMinisterial
Decision onMeasures inFavour oftheLeast Developed Countries.
Regarding thework ofthecurrent WTO Ministerial Conference hereatSingapore itismy
delegation 'sviewthatweshould avoid taking decisions which would havetheeffect ofoverloading
theWTO withmatters which legitimately belong toother multilateral institutions towhich most of
usaremembers. Iamreferring toproposals being made bysome delegations atthisConference on
investment andtrade and,ontherelationship between trade andlabour. These issues which arevery
important should belegitimately dealtwithbyUNCTAD andILOrespectively. Weshould alsobe
careful inhandling matters, within theWTO, which mayimpinge onMember countries 'internal policies
andstrategies. MyGovernment hasaveryopensystem ofprocurement. However wefeelthatthis
isanarearequiring careful studies byrelevant multilateral institutions before wecanconsider a
multilateral agreement forgovernment procurement.
Itismyfervent desire thatfirmandpractical resolutions should come outofthisConference.
Ihave nodoubt thatdelegates present herewillapproach theConference withaclear view of
meaningfully contributing towards theimprovement ofthequality lifeofourpeoples theworld over.
Mydelegation hopes thatallagenda items willbeaddressed withtheseriousness theydeserve. Iwish
toassure youofmyGovernment 'sdesire toexert itsenergies towards promoting harmonious trade
relations within theframework ofWTO.