WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 19 
12 June 2022 
(22-4455) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR DANIIAR AMANGELDIEV  
MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND COMMERCE  
KYRGYZ REPUBLIC  
Let me express my gratitude to the Republic of Kazakhstan, as a co -chair, for the excellent 
organization of the long -awaited 12th Ministerial Conference and the Swiss Confederation for 
providing assistance and hospitality in the diplomatic center of the world, in the city of Geneva.  
 
I would like to thank the Director -General Ms. Okonjo Iweala and all the staff of the WTO Secretariat  
for their tireless efforts and commitment to advancing the negotiations on the main issues of the 
Ministerial Conference 's agenda. Indeed, our today 's conference is the most important biannual 
platform for discussing pressing issues and determining furthe r development of the WTO.  
 
Speaking from the highest podium of the WTO, let me recall that since the GATT was signed in 1947, 
the key goals of the contracting parties were to establish a rules -based world trading system and to 
facilitate mutually beneficia l trade. Since then, the key principles of the institution drove its members 
to open market access for goods and services enabling each member to gain from their comparative 
advantages, which resulted in a 300 -fold expansion of international trade within l ess than a century.  
 
It is noteworthy to note that in the waves of tremendous trade liberalization reforms, our country 
was the first in the post -Soviet region to enter the WTO in 1998. Since then, we have enjoyed all 
the WTO 's membership benefits.  
 
Over 2 4 years in the WTO, the Kyrgyz Republic 's trade turnover grew by more than 4 times - from 
$1.4 to $5.7 billion. Today, the Kyrgyz Republic maintains trade relations with more than 130 
countries of the world. With a total volume of foreign trade of 5.7 bill ion USD, the WTO member 
states cover 93% of our export and import.  
 
Located in the heart of the Eurasian continent, the Kyrgyz Republic has the potential to bridge 
overland Eurasian, especially West -East. To leverage the given advantage and to foster econo mic 
ties even deeper with the key trade partners, the Kyrgyz Republic has joined in 2015 the Eurasian 
Economic Union.  
 
However, despite its advantages, the geographic location also turned out to be a source of 
vulnerability. The high dependence from international trade, as shown by our statistics, 
demonstrates also how the Kyrgyz Republic is vulnerable from its landlocked position, and thus, 
dependent from the transit routes to reach far located markets. This, along with huge transport 
costs, remains a major trade bottleneck for us.  
 
Given that, our country sees in the WTO a sound, transparent and rules -based trading system, which 
should be efficient and capable enough to help its members, regardless of their size and level of 
development, to use inter national trade as a tool to raise living standards, create jobs and improve 
people 's lives.  
 
We need the WTO which successfully operates the global system of trade rules with the dispute 
settlement system guaranteeing these rules to be duly implemented.  
 
Also, we would like to highlight the importance of widening the WTO membership list. With large 
pleasure we are witnessing the active pace the Republic of Uzbekistan has recently taken towards WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 19 
 
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  joining the WTO family. Also, the large progress made by the Rep ublic of Belarus to join the WTO. 
We also with great pleasure welcome the recent decision of Turkmenistan to join the WTO, which in 
our view, demonstrates the country 's objective to adhere to the rules of the multilateral trading 
system and shows the stron g commitment of the country to become a full -fledged member.  
 
Today we are holding a very special Ministerial Conference not only because we have waited 5 years 
to gather but also with the number of challenges we are facing especially under the current glo bal 
geopolitical climate. The global trade outlook has dimmed with a spike in energy and food prices. It 
all came hot on the heels of the pandemic, further exacerbating the existing economic crisis. This 
difficult context made reaching agreements both hard er and at the same time more urgent.  
 
At this inflection point in history, the value of multilateralism and the rules -based international order 
is especially important. It is a multilateralism that draws us together to address global challenges 
that we are  all currently grappling with. Thus, instead of retreating, we must reengage with 
international institutions to make them stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to address the 
pressing challenges of today 's world. It is obvious that fragmentation wi ll be costly for all of us.  
 
In this context, the Kyrgyz Republic urges all members to prioritize flexibility and trust in our 
negotiations to deliver a meaningful outcome at this long -awaited MC12. We stand ready to endeavor 
with other members towards fin ding mutually beneficial solutions and discussing progressive ideas 
which will help the world trading system exit from the difficulties it is currently facing including the 
food security crisis and pushing the trade negotiations forward on agricultural and  developmental 
tracks, as well as finding jointly agreeable ways for the actively discussed WTO reforms that revitalize 
the dispute settlement, monitoring, and deliberative functions and last but not least delivering a 
package of WTO response to this and f uture pandemics.  
 
Trade has been and will remain a critical means of adaptation to the mounting global shocks that 
the world is currently experiencing. What the world needs right now is a responsive WTO, one that 
helps us meet the many challenges of our ti me. 
 
A successful MC12 is a necessary step in the long haul towards making the WTO fit for purpose of 
the 21st century. It offers an opportunity to deliver results for the people that we represent and to 
give the WTO a brighter future by mapping out ways o f strengthening the WTO.  
 
To conclude I would like to express our hope that this MC12 which finally gathered the trade ministers 
from all over the world will meet all the high expectations the members have put on it in paving the 
route to restoring the str ong trust and the sense of common purpose among the members of the 
World Trade Organization.  
 
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