. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/59
1 December 1999
(99-5252)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third SessionSeattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  Spanish
EL SALVADOR
Statement by H.E. Mr. Eduardo Ayala Grimaldi ,
Vice-Minister of Economy
On the threshold of a new century, I think it is appropriate that we should recognize, firstly,
the enormous efforts made by the developing countries towards the liberalization of trade, and
secondly, the benefits which the multilateral trading system has provided us, by establishing clear
rules to regulate trade, benefits which are indeed reflected in the significant growth of trade over the
past years.  However, we are concerned at the fact that the share in trade of the least developedcountries and the small developing countries is not reflected in any significant way in this growth.
We must not forget that the efforts that the developing countries have had to make in response
to the demands of liberalization have not always been without sacrifice.  We think that the objectives
of liberalization should be tailored to the requirements of the future, but without forgetting theexperience acquired over these past years.
According to world economic indices, this cent ury is supposed to end with a slowing world
economy that is divided and fraught with instability.  We are confronted with serious problems
following the financial crisis that negatively influenced growth in the developing countries, in
particular in Latin America, generating increased poverty and unemployment which have had an
impact on the well-being of our peoples.  Consequently, in our view, we are faced with the difficulttask of halting and reversing the fragmentation currently affecting the world economy in order to
make way for a century of peace and well-being for all peoples.
We are convinced that in launching a new round of negotiations we must bear in mind the
need to achieve a balance of opportunities which w ould enable the developing countries to help their
productive sectors to be competitive and to deal successfully with market  liberalization.  This
requires special conditions for the developing countries, in particular the small economies, to enable
them to take on new commitments.  El Salvador, like other small developing economies, has made an
enormous effort to bring its trade policies into conformity with WTO regulations.  However, its
efforts to achieve a greater share in international trade have not met with sufficient success owing,inter alia , to the barriers and limitations which continue to prevail in certain export markets.
As regards the agricultural sector, we must appeal to the developed countries to agree on
further liberalization of agriculture aimed at putting an end to practices which distort and upset the
balance of world trade in agricultural products.
We firmly believe that by fully applying everything that we agree upon in this conference, in
particular as regards the solutions to the problems of implementation of the agreements and the
recognition of the needs of the small developing economies, we can obtain greater and improved
benefits and ensure that our countries are fully integrated into the multilateral system.WT/MIN(99)/ST/59
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I would urge the Ministers present here today to agree to draw up a working programme on
the small developing economies which would take account of their very particular concerns and needs
in these new negotiations, and to establish a cooperation plan which would meet their specific needs
and help them to overcome the difficulties facing them.
El Salvador is committed to maintaining the impetus of multilateral liberalization.  This is
why we support the launching of the new round of negotiations at this conference, and we trust that
the declaration we adopt will include effective measures to ensure the proper implementation of
special and differential treatment for the developing  countries, in particular the small economies, thus
ensuring market access for the export products of our countries.
For El Salvador, the rights of workers are an extremely important aspect which we are dealing
with very seriously in the compet ent international body, the ILO;  and in that body, we hope that
labour laws will receive the attention they deserve.
Finally, El Salvador is convinced that this effort, which is certainly being made by all of the
developing countries, should receive clear support from the developed countries in the form of newand increased trade opportunities which would enable our countries to achieve greater market access
for the products we produce most efficiently and competitively, thus helping to boost economic
development.
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