WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/116
12December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5283)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
JORDAN
Statement byH.E. Mr.AliAbuRagheb
Minister ofIndustry andTrade
(Speaking asanObserver)
Iwould liketothank theGovernment andpeople ofSingapore fortheirgracious andgenerous
hospitality, andtheexcellent facilities theyprovided forconvening thisimportant Conference.
Itisindeed agreat honour andaprivilege formetoaddress suchadistinguished gathering.
Thesuccessful conclusion oftheUruguay Round negotiations threeyears agowasahistorical
moment, notonlyforthecontracting parties, butalsofortheproponents oftrade globalization and
liberalization. Theincreased membership intheWTO, andthegrowing number ofacceding countries,
reflects thegrowing awareness among nations oftheimportance ofintegrating theireconomies into
theinternational trading system.
Itwasexpected thatliberalization oftrade ingoods andservices would increase thevolume
ofinternational trade andinvestment flows leading tobetter economic growth globally. Theactual
figures ofincreased international trade andinvestment flows asaresult ofimplementing theUruguay
Round Agreements aretrueinaglobal sense. Butthebenefits areunevenly spread among developed
anddeveloping countries, andamong developing countries themselves. Toimplement WTO obligations
andcommitments, countries needtohaveinplace theappropriate institutional infrastructure, legal
framework andlegislation. Consequently, agreat number ofdeveloping countries aswellasleast
developed countries, arenotinaposition totakeadvantage oftheopportunities thatliberalization and
globalization offer, despite thefactthattheyhadtheadvantage ofutilizing theconcessional provisions
oftheUruguay Round Agreements.
Asforacceding countries, prospects might beworse. Acceding countries arebeing asked to
givemore concessions thanwhatisprovided forintheUruguay Round Agreements. Ifsuchpractices
continue, theywilldelay accession, andadversely affect theability ofdeveloping countries tosmoothly
integrate theireconomies intotheinternational trading system. Unless theyareassured thatsuch
concessions arerights, andnotissues subject tonegotiations andhardbargaining, thepositive impact
oftrade liberalization willbedoubtful, andtheobjectives oftheWTO willbeforfeited.
Jordan isgoing through macroeconomic reforms toachieve abalanced andsustainable economic
development. Needless tosaytrade liberalization isattheheart ofsuchreforms. Ourpeople have
hadtobeartheaccompanying costofsuchreforms, withthehopeofbetter economic prospects made
possible byregional andinternational cooperation.
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Jordan hasbeenplaying apivotal roleinthepeace process intheMiddle Easttotransform
thisregion fromadestructive course intoamore constructive one. Itisimportant tonotethatpeace,
politicalstabilityandregionalsecurityarethenecessaryconditionsforsustainableeconomicdevelopment.
WeinJordan believe thatregional andinterregional cooperation isameans ofbringing nations
together andcementing peace efforts. Itisapowerful instrument inenhancing peace, stability and
security intheregion. Atthesame time, ithelps countries oftheregion toopenuptheireconomies
anddeepen theirinterdependence. Theexpected outcome willbeincreased tradeexchange andbigger
investment flows thatwillfacilitate theintegration oftheireconomies intotheinternational trading
system. Hopefully making theworld abetter place foreveryone.
Inconclusion, letuswork together asequals toachieve theoverall objectives oftheWTO
through arule-based, transparent, andnon-discriminatory multilateral trading system.