WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/119
12December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5300)
Original: French MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
MADAGASCAR
Statement byH.E. Mr.Jaona Ravaloson
Ambassador, Permanent Representative ofMadagascar totheUNatGeneva
Wearegathered heretocelebrate thetriumph ofuniversal freetradeandthemultilateral trading
system. Indeed, howcould wefailtopaytribute toamechanism which, despite thedifferences in
thesituations andlevels ofdevelopment ofitsparticipants, hasmanaged tostabilize andregulate itself,
andtoinfuse trade andproduction withanundeniable dynamism?
Letustherefore payhomage tothissystem whose liberalism enables allcountries tobenefit,
attheirownpaceandconvenience.
There aretwothreats, however, tothestability ofthiselegant structure:
- Theriskoffragmentation, ifregional arrangements cannot bereconciled withthe
dynamics ofmultilateralism;
- themarginalization oftheweakest members, unless thereisaconcerted andcollective
effort toinclude them.
Withyourpermission, Ishould liketodealbriefly withthissecond aspect. Theleastdeveloped
countries represent themainchallenge toeconomic globalization andtheequilibrium ofthemultilateral
trading system. Itistherefore important forthisFirstMinisterial Conference toconclude bylaunching,
adopting, endorsing orfinancing, asappropriate, measures andcommitments thatwillrapidly guarantee
theleastdeveloped countries fullandeffective participation inthefeastofeconomic globalization.
Thisshould beachieved, firstofall,through theglobal planofaction fortheleastdeveloped
countries. ThenthereisalsotheWTO/UNCTAD/ITC integrated technical assistance programme which
deserves tobeextended toother agencies suchastheCommon Fund forCommodities andUNIDO.
Itherefore takethisopportunity toremind theWTO Secretariat ofMadagascar 'skeeninterest inthis
programme anditswishtoparticipate initandbenefit from itassoonaspossible.
Nevertheless, overandabove these major issues onwhich broad consensus hasalready been
reachedinGeneva,thankstothecooperationofallMembers,thedynamismandtenacityoftheChairman
oftheCommittee onTrade andDevelopment andthehardwork oftheSecretariat, itwould bedesirable
totakeafurther stephereandnow.
Itherefore invite members, inparticular, themore developed ones, tocommit themselves to
granting market access toallexports from theleastdeveloped countries without tariffs ornon-tariff
barriers, thereby endorsing theDirector-General 'sbold, common-sense proposal.
./.WT/MIN(96)/ST/119
Page2
Mydelegation therefore callsupon allpartners oftheleastdeveloped countries toadvocate
coherence andcoordination intheformulation ofpolicies tohelpthose countries inevery international
organization, andinparticular, intheinternational funding agencies. Such action should beallthe
easier nowthatanagreement hasbeensigned between theWTO andIMFandplans areinplace for
anagreement withtheWorld Bank. Nevertheless, constant vigilance andunflagging political willbe
called foronthepartofthedifferent decision-making bodies, toensure thattheresounding promises
anddeclarations ofgood intentions made atonetimeoranother donotremain adeadletter.
IfourConference manages toreach firmdecisions orcommitments onthese fewpoints, we
willnothavewasted ourtime, andtheWTO willhavegonesome waytowards fulfilling theexpectations
ofthepoorest peoples andchanging itsimage asacold, unfeeling andtechnocratic institution.
AsfarasMadagascar isconcerned, theemphasis ontheleastdeveloped countries should be
apriority fortheWTO.
Mysecond concern isthefuture work programme oftheOrganization.
MyGovernment 'sposition inthisregard isclear: wemust avoid anything thatinanyway
resembles protectionism, andinclude ontheWTO agenda everything thatcould further liberalize trade
andopenupmarkets.
Thus, asregards labour standards, myGovernment endorses thepolicy statement onthesocial
clause issued bytheInternational Organization ofEmployers meeting lastJuneinGeneva. Thisstated
that"theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) istheinternational organization withthemandate
toseektoimprove worldwide working conditions through standard-setting, technical cooperation,
dialogue andexample". Accordingly, anyaction bytheWTO inthisdomain should betaken only
inclose association andcoordination withandunder theleadership oftheILO,soastoavoid placing
further constraints ondeveloping countries andhampering theiremergence.
Ontheother hand, asregards investment andtrade, myGovernment strongly supports any
initiative aimed attheactive involvement oftheWTO.
Thefactisthat,overandabove theproblem ofmarket access, leastdeveloped countries such
asMadagascar arefacing aproblem ofsupply. Theinadequacy oftheirproduction baseandtheir
lackofexport capacity canonlyberemedied atthisstage bygreater andmore regular flows offoreign
investment. Investment therefore hasaplace inthedeliberations andwork oftheWTO.
Gradualprogresstowardsamultilateralagreement,preceded,ofcourse,byaprocessofeducation
andpreparation,wouldsurelyprovidethesecurityexpectedbyinvestorsandwouldrepresentconsiderable
savings intimeandresources fortheleastdeveloped countries, which donothavetheadministrative
andfinancial wherewithal tonegotiate alongseries ofbilateral investment agreements.
Ishould notliketoendmystatement without expressing thanks totheGovernment ofSingapore
foritswarm andfriendly welcome andcongratulating itonthehighly efficient manner inwhich it
hasorganized thishistoric and,Ihope, decisive meeting oftheWTO.
Allow mealsotoconvey thegratitude oftheGovernment ofMadagascar tothose donors who
made itpossible fortheleastdeveloped countries toattend.
There canbenodoubt thatthefirsttowards ending themarginalization oftheleastdeveloped
countries would betheirinclusion inthediscussions andwork oftheOrganization.