WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/94
11December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5265)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
SUDAN
Statement byH.E. Mr.Osman ElHadi Ibrahim
Minister ofForeign Trade
(Speaking asanObserver)
Allow meattheoutset tojoinprevious speakers, incongratulating you,Mr.Chairman, for
your well-deserved election asChairman ofthisfirstMinisterial Conference oftheWorld Trade
Organization. Weareconfident that,under yourableleadership, ourdeliberations would reach a
successful conclusion.
Iwould liketothank theGovernment, andpeople ofSingapore, fortheirhospitality, and
excellent arrangements extended toparticipants. Theconvening ofthismeeting inSingapore augurs
wellforthesuccess ofourdeliberations. Theexperience ofSingapore isavivid demonstration that
developing countries can,withtheappropriate favourable domestic andexternal conditions, overcome
development constraints andachieve highlevels ofliving standards fortheirpeople andbecome active
participants intheworld economy andworld trade.
While theaccelerating paceintheinterrelated processes ofliberalization andglobalization in
theworld economy hasincreased opportunities forgrowth anddevelopment, ithasalsoadded new
complexities inmanaging global interdependence andrisks formarginalization ofleastdeveloped
countries.
TheimplementationofUruguayRoundAgreementscombinedwithfurtherunilateralliberalization
willreinforce thetrends towards global economic integration. Whether LDCs areabletoexploit the
opportunities, integrate intheinternational economy andmitigate thedangers ofsuchintegration, will
beconditioned bytheevolution oftheprocess ofglobalization under theUruguay Round Agreements,
butmore significantly bytheability ofourcountries toovercome supply sideconstraints, expand and
diversify ourexports. Itistherefore evident that,iftheLDCs willcontinue tostrengthen national
efforts towards economic reforms andbuildsupply andcompetitive capacities, theywillrequire adequate
assistance fromtheirdevelopment andtrading partners andthecompetent international organizations.
Thespecial anddifferential measures accorded toLDCs intheUruguay Round Agreements
andMinisterial Decisions infavour ofLDCs should befullyandeffectively implemented. However,
these special anddifferential measures alone, willnotbeenough toenable ourcountries toovercome
thechallenges andreapthepotential benefits ofthese arrangements. There isneedforcomplementary
action toprovide bilateral andmultilateral assistance, bothfinancial andtechnical toalleviate supply
sideconstraints, enhance diversification andcompetitiveness. Itisalsoimperative totakeurgent action
todecisively reduce thecrushing debtanddebtservicing burden ofLDCs andsubstantially increase
thelevelofOfficialDevelopmentAssistance,inaccordancewiththerecommendationsoftheProgramme
ofAction fortheLDCs andother recent major global conferences.
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Aware oftheabove-mentioned challenges, andtoadapt itseconomy tothenewchanges in
theinternational economic andtrading system, Sudan hasbeenimplementing, since theearly 1990s,
acomprehensive programme ofeconomic andtradereforms within thecontext oftheComprehensive
National Strategy, aiming atfullliberalization oftheeconomy, enhancement oftheroleoftheprivate
sector bothnational andforeign andmeasures tomitigate thetransitional costofthereform programmes.
Itisinthisspirit, thatSudan hasapplied formembership oftheWTO. Wearenowinthe
process offinalizing ourmemorandum foraccession. Itisessential thattheaccession process forLDCs
beaccelerated andbecomes more flexible. Wecallonourdevelopment partners including multilateral
institutions, toprovide technical assistance forthisendeavour.
Wecalluponthismeeting toadopt acomprehensive planofaction infavour ofLDCs toenable
themtoovercome thechallenges posed byandtoreapthefullpotential benefits oftheUruguay Round
Agreements. Iwishinthiscontext torefertotherecommendations ofHigh-Level Intergovernmental
Meeting ontheMid-Term Global Review oftheImplementation oftheProgramme ofAction forthe
LDCs andtheMinisterial Declaration adopted bytheLDCs Ministers intheirmeeting lastNovember
inGeneva.
Finally wewould liketoassociate ourselves withtheproposals oftheDirector-General ofthe
WTO inmeasures toassist LDCs inrealizing thepotential benefits oftheUruguay Round Agreements.
Werequest himtocontinue togivepriority attention totheproblems andneeds ofLDCs.