WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/120
2 December 1999
(99-5328)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third Session
Seattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  English
SIERRA LEONE
Statement by H.E. Mr. Mike Lamin ,
Minister of Trade and Industry
I bring you greetings from His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the Government
and the People of Sierra Leone.  I also take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the Government
and the People of the United States, for the hospitality extended to me and my delegation.  Let mealso express my unreserved thanks to the WT O, UNCTAD, the OAU/AEC and other international
agencies for the hard work and time spent in preparin g us for this meeting.  My special thanks go to
those donor countries who have facilitated the participation of my delegation by providing financial
support.
On the 29
th of November, my delegation attended a technical symposium on current and
proposed initiatives organized by the United States at which we discussed a number of issues relating
to trade facilitation and support for Africa.  We particularly congratulate President Clinton's effort to
see through Congress measures to promote trade with Africa.  These initiatives demonstrate the
seriousness with which the business of trade links is being taken.  It is a recognition of Africa's
growing importance in world trade.
My delegation was among other Member country delegations invited to participate in the
Geneva Week for non-Geneva based WTO Members and observers.  At that meeting, we had the
opportunity to listen to a number of key speakers.  We also received briefings from
Ambassador Ali Mchumo, Chairman of the General Council of the WTO, on progress and priorities in
the preparatory process.
For us the meeting was of great importance.  It enabled us to be adequately informed and to
air our views on issues of importance.  This is necessary, if we are to commit ourselves to the
outcome of present and future negotiations.  These ongoing processes to bring on board smaller and
vulnerable least developing countries should continue.  It gives us comfort in the notion that ourorganization is a member driven organization, based on rules and that consensus is of prime
importance.  Permit me to express my country's appreciation to Mr. Mike Moore, the
Director-General, for his initiative.  I want to believe that we have all come here more prepared than
before to participate in the deliberations.
One of the important aftermaths of the Geneva Week was the need for countries to have
physical presence in Geneva, recognizing that often repeated seminars will not serve as real
substitutes.  Besides, they could be very costly.  Consequently, we register our thanks and look
forward to an early conclusion of arrangements for the Swiss Government's International House
Project.
I personally feel honoured and delighted to participate in this meeting.  Following eight years
of war, the Government of President Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah concluded a peace accord in July thisWT/MIN(99)/ST/120
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year will all the contending forces.  The implementation process has been slow mainly due to lack of
adequate funds and full understanding or appreciation of the various issues.  Notwithstanding this,
significant strides have been made by all the parties to abide by the Agreement and support its
implementation.  Let me therefore use this forum once more to thank all those who have contributed
to the achievement of peace and security in Sierra Leone.  As a People and as a Nation, we plan to setaside this ugly episode in our history and to move  forward in a spirit of reconciliation, towards the
path of democracy, transparency and good governance.  The Government is demonstrating evidence
of commitment to inclusive governance through various efforts and programmes such as public
service reform, the empowerment of civil society, institutionalization of the fight against corruption
and decentralisation of the authority and responsibility of local administration, amongst others.
The conclusion of the Uruguay Round is seen as a major achievement towards the expansion
of a rules-based international trading system and the creation of a more secured trade environment.
Since the WTO came into effect, there have been differences about its benefits.  There are many areas
of imperfections.  Some of the Agreements need to be revised, in particular, countries to which I
belong have raised a number of concerns which need to be considered and resolved.  We realize that
having participated in the preparatory process, some of our concerns have already been registered.  Ionly wish to underscore a few, from a national perspective.
The Uruguay Round Agreements provide for special and differential treatment for the
developing countries, and in particular for the least developed.  Most of us, however, have not yet
been able to take advantage of the provisions.  This is so because some of them are vaguely definedand subject to different interpretations.  For example, the provisions of Article 15 for constructive
remedies.  Equally so is the case of Articles XII and XVIII(b) of GATT 1994 which makes reference
to quantitative restrictions for reasons of balance-of-payment.  Consequently, we request the
strengthening of special and differential provisions and sharp definitions and guidelines relating to
their manner of implementation.  Similar action applies to the Trade-Related Intellectual PropertyAgreement under which we seek for the extension of the transitional periods and for measures to
ensure transfer of technology, including the addition of new provisions relating to the protection of
traditional and indigenous knowledge.
Over the years, policy failures in agriculture have weakened our productive base and affected
our capability for food self sufficiency.  This has been made worse by eight years of war.  As an
agricultural economy in which seventy per cent of the population is engaged, we have been seriouslyaffected by the impact of the Agreement on Agriculture.  In the first place, we are expected to reduce
our domestic support for the agricultural sector.  As a net food-importing country, we have been
affected by higher prices for food imports, resulting in a high import bill. Furthermore, the Agreement
is predicated on the rule of comparative advantage in agricultural production.  But the lack of foreign
exchange is bound to affect our import capability. Therefore, unless agricultural production isincreased locally with the necessary farm support measures, we would be faced with acute food
shortages which could well have serious social implications. Thus agricultural liberalization should
not be achieved at the expense of food security and the need to protect the incomes of our rural poor.
We look forward to the provision of technical assistance in line with the Marrakesh Ministerial
Declaration.
One of the major problems arising from the Uruguay Round is the Notification and Review
Requirements.  There are about 175 notification requ irements, some of which imply enactment of new
laws and legislations.  Undoubtedly, the notifications and reviews will improve the transparency of
the system and facilitate the task of monitoring the complex process of implementation, but theyimpose a burden on us.
The introduction of new issues at a time when we have not come to terms with the existing
Agreements including those under the built-in agenda of the WTO, will pose serious difficulties to the
legal and regulatory authorities and slow down our in tegration into the system.  Most of our countriesWT/MIN(99)/ST/120
Page 3
have not yet enacted legislation necessary to meet current commitments for notification requirements
and the other obligations under the Uruguay Round.  We need assistance to develop our capacity to
meet WTO requirements.
The gradual disappearance of trade preferences and the special treatment accorded to our
countries is now inevitable, however harsh the circ umstances may be.  The erosion of our preferences
have led to the reduction of export incomes, loss of investment opportunities and balance-of-payment
problems.  Tariff peaks and tariff escalation have increased in such a way as to affect products in
which we have a comparative advantage.  Developed countries have not opened their markets to us in
competitive products and sectors, at the same time we have been pressurized to open our markets.
Moreover, as competition increases, stringent international norms and standards are being set in areas
where advanced countries want to maintain their lead, without our involvement.
My delegation urges for a better coherence among multilateral institutions on general trade-
related matters, including finance and debt issues.  With respect to TRIPS, we support more and
meaningful technical cooperation and assistance that take into consideration the principle of
empowerment and ownership.  We also support the removal of Article 27(3)(b) which provides forcompulsory patenting of micro organisms and micro biological processes.  This provision contravenes
the basic tenets and laws of most of our countries.  The exclusion of patent rights of essentially
biological processes should be exte nded to micro-biological processes.
We recognize that in signing the Singapore Declaration of 1996, we were committing
ourselves to the issue of core labour standards which is now a debate as to whether it should be taken
up or not.  We note the many apprehensions pronounced as to the real intention.  We see the issue as
important to all of us.  Our concern, however, is that at the end of the day, the rules should secure our
mutual interest.  In particular, it should ensure cohesion that will promote better conditions.
The twin forces of globalization and liberalization while holding promises of prosperity, have
marginalized many of our countries which continue to be overburdened with a complex mix of
political, ethnic and divisive elements.  Every conceivable effort is being made by the Government of
Sierra Leone to overcome some of the inequities of the liberalized system and to undertake measures
to foster peace and security, economic growth and improved quality of life for our people. The
development of human and institutional capacity for enhancing and promoting investment has been
embarked upon with the objective of increasing the fl ow of investment finance and providing training
in areas of industrial development and services.
We are focusing on the reconstruction of the infrastructure such as roads, transport,
communications and services – all badly damaged during the war years.  Effort is being made to
rationalize our educational system and health delivery services for the benefit of our people.  Weexpect that measures already embarked upon will facilitate development.
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