WORLD TRADE WT/FIFTY/3
19May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2072)
50thANNIVERSARY
Geneva, 19May1998
50thANNIVERSARY OFTHE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM
Statement bytheDirector-General, H.EMr.Renato Ruggiero
Fiftyyears agotheworld hadjustemerged fromadevastating conflict. Initsaftermath, people
wanted abetter world, anddedicated menandwomen invarious countries worked togiveexpression
tothisdesire. Together theybuilttheinternational institutions which haveserved thepostwar world
sowell. Today wearecommemorating thefirstfiftyyears ofoneofthemost successful ofthem,
themultilateral trading system.
From itsbeginnings attheHavana Conference through tothisweek'sWTO meetings, the
multilateral system hasbeen aforce notonlyforeconomic growth butalsoformore stable and
cooperative international relations. Itisboththese contributions thatwecelebrate today, inaworld
where theyareneeded asmuch asever-ifnotmore.
Since itscreation, themultilateral system hashelped trade expand more thantwice asfastas
production, andthesystem itselfhasexpanded along withit.From theGATT 'soriginal 23contracting
parties there arenow132WTO Members, and31candidates formembership -animpressive vote
ofconfidence. Andallthecandidates aredeveloping ortransition economies, asare80percentof
theMembers.
What hasbeenthesecret ofthesystem 'ssuccess?
Firstofall,bylowering barriers totrade ithasalsohelped tolower barriers between nations
andpeoples, contributing tothegrowing interdependence thatissuchafeature ofourpresent world.
Itisoften called globalization, butthistermdoeslessthanjustice towhat isinreality aprocess of
growing inclusiveness, whether ofcountries, ofpeoples -orofproblems. Ithasatechnological
dimension, through thenewcommunications andinformation technologies which areshrinking time
andspace. Recent WTO agreements opening upaccess tothese essential elements ofthe21stcentury
infrastructure willrelease enormous energy forfuture growth. Butthenewglobal inclusiveness has
aboveallahumandimension,aspeoplearoundtheworldincreasinglysharesimilarconcerns,aspirations
andhopes.
Justasitsfoundation embodied thehopes ofthepostwar years, thetrading system asitenters
itssecond half-century willhelptochannel theturbulent stream ofourpresent global concerns into
rulesandcommitments which reflect ourshared responsibility. Itwilldosobecause theWTO system
isbased onprinciples whose value istimeless anduniversal; consensus, non-discrimination, therule
oflaw.
Therules established onthese principles areagreed among allthemembers andratified by
theirparliaments. Itisthusaprofoundly democratic structure, andonewhich Ibelieve offers auseful
example when weconsider, asweclearly must, theinternational architecture weneedforthenew
century.
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Weareliving aperiod ofrapid andprofound change. TheEast-West divide ishistory; the
North-South oneisblurring, notleastbecause oftheactive wayinwhich developing countries have
embraced theopportunities thatliberalizing trade within theWTO rules brings forgrowth.
Ifourchallenge inthelastfiftyyears wastomanage adivided world, thechallenge forthe
nextdecades willbetomanage aworld ofever-deeper integration. People around theworld areseeking
anewsense ofdirection, ofparticipation, ofoptimism. Your presence heresends suchamessage,
apowerful andmuch-needed message ofconfidence andcommitment tothefuture within asystem
which trulybelongs tousall.
Iwould alsoliketoinform youthatwehavereceived messages ofcongratulations andsupport
from anumber ofleaders whohavebeenunable tojoinushere. Iwould liketothank thePresident
ofTunisia, thePrime Minister ofCanada, thePrime Minister ofJapan, thePrime Minister ofNew
Zealand, thePrime Minister ofPoland, thePrime Minister ofSingapore, andthePrime Minister of
Thailand fortheirkindmessages andfortheirsupport fortheWTO.
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