./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/83
1 December 1999
(99-5315)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third SessionSeattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  French
ALGERIA
Statement by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Attaf
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(Speaking as an Observer)
It is a great privilege for the Algerian delegation to take part in the work of this Third
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization.  That sense of privilege is combined with
our heightened interest, considering the scale and importance of the matters at stake in this meeting.
Coming as it does on the eve of a new millennium, this Third Ministerial Conference is
momentous from several viewpoints.  First, it is clearly a propitious moment, five years after the
inception of the WTO, for an evaluation of the methods and conditions of implementation of the
Agreements that crowned the Uruguay Round of negotiations.
Next, it is an occasion on which to recall just how much the multilateral treatment of trade
issues pursuant to the spirit and letter of the Uruguay Round Agreements represents a significant step
forward for humanity as a whole.  As a developing country, we have welcomed this advance, not only
because it helps to institute a rule-based system in the place of the power-based system that had
prevailed hitherto, but also because it seems to us that the strengthening of economic and trade
relations is the best avenue towards a more interdependent, mutually supportive and hence more
peaceful world.
Lastly, it is an occasion to underscore the high degree of interdependence that must exist
between trade and development.  In this connection, my country which, as current President of the
Organization of African Unity – and, moreover, has just hosted the meeting of African Ministers of
Trade in Algiers – believes that the appropriate and satisfactory treatment of development issues isone of the major challenges facing the multilateral trading system today.  Indeed, it would seem that
this rule-based system is as much in need of strengthening as its advantages need to be more equitably
distributed in the future.
The countries of our continent, which have had to undertake sweeping reforms of their
economic structures in recent years, are expecting this Seattle Ministerial Conference to support those
reforms and contribute to the implementation of measures that will facilitate, foster and help those
reforms to succeed.
To this end, steps must be taken to ensure proper recognition of special and differential
treatment for developing countries at the internati onal level, by comprehensively dealing with trade
issues on the one hand and issues relating to offi cial development assistance, investment flows and
foreign debt on the other.
Real, unquestionable progress has been made since the inception of the WTO.  Yet that
progress is today still fragile and needs to be stre ngthened by including the legitimate interests of a
good many countries that are still finding it difficult, despite their endeavours, to benefit from theWT/MIN(99)/ST/83
Page 2
multilateral trading system.  These objective diff iculties are being encountered specifically with
regard to:
- Adapting domestic laws and regulations in the framework of transition periods;
- Dealing with issues of market access for products from least-developed countries;
- Effectively implementing the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on the Possible
Negative Effects of the Reform Programmes on Least-Developed Countries and Net
Food-Importing countries;
- More appropriately addressing the needs of developing countries in reviewing the
TRIPS Agreement in regard to the transfer of technology and the obligatory granting
of licences for the manufacture of essential medicines;
- Facilitating regional integration agreements between developed and developing
countries, by a less restrictive interpretation of GATT Article XXIV.
Despite many problems, it cannot be denied that, within a short space of time, the WTO has
become an economic organization to be reckoned with in international life.
The scale and importance it has now assumed makes it imperative for the WTO to remain
alive to the expectations of the large number of candidates for membership.  In this connection, it
must be pointed out that our enthusiasm as newly acceding countries does not elicit an encouraging
and ideal response from Members and at times is even dampened by extremely restrictive procedures.
Because we are genuinely convinced of the advantages of multilateralism, we believe that remedial
steps should be taken in this regard, as such a move would be of interest not only to candidates formembership but also to all Members, in that what is at stake is the expansion of the sphere of
influence of the multilateral trading system and the strengthening of the universal nature of the WTO.
For its part, Algeria has already been involved in preparing and conducting serious
negotiations for membership in the WTO for some years now.  Thus, the first meeting of its
Working Group took place in 1998 and enabled it to acquire a relatively complete overview of the
level of conformity of its foreign trade regime with the provisions of the various multilateral tradeagreements currently being managed by the WTO.
That first meeting, which yielded several benefits, also gave us a better grasp of our future
obligations within the Organization.  We will contin ue to be just as determined in the ongoing
negotiations to align our laws and regulations with the WTO rules.
Furthermore, we are now preparing the initial offers that we expect to make to our various
trading partners in regards to customs tariffs and trade in services.  We are convinced that presentation
of these offers in the coming months will do much to speed up the process of Algeria's entry into the
WTO.
You may rest assured of Algeria's determination to join the ranks of this Organization and
hence of our desire to reap the benefits of the multilateral trading system.  We are convinced that for
economies like that of Algeria, the rules governing the system are the best guarantee of harmonious
integration into world trade, and one that will work to the benefit of our economic and socialdevelopment and also help to expand and consolidate the multilateral trading system.
I should like to close by wishing the present WTO meeting every success and I thank you for
your kind attention.
__________