WT/MIN(22)/ST/28  
12 June 2022 
(22-4464) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEM ENT BY H.E. MR FAHAD MUTLAQ NASSAR AL -SHURAIAN  
MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY  
THE STATE OF KUWAIT  
Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to stress that our participation in this conference as a 
sign of our support to the World Trade Organization and the multi -lateral trading system, which 
undoubtedly has a very active role to play in tackling the challenges that are taking place in the 
trading world.  
 
Our conference is taking place four years later in unprecedented tim es, where many events have 
affected the multi -lateral trading system. This includes the pace and direction of the development 
agenda negotiations. In fact, we have a challenging agenda and we must work to protect the World 
Trade Organization and the multi -lateral trading system while working purposefully on the 
development agenda at the heart of the global trading system. Therefore, now more than ever we 
need to intensify our efforts and engage in a solution -oriented setting with more flexibility so we can 
achieve positive results in this conference.  
 
In context to the workings of this conference, we express our hopes to reach agreements on the 
important issues presented throughout the conference, these issues include all of:  
 
• (Food security) This conference  is considered an appropriate opportunity to discuss this 
important case. It is possible for the international corporation in the trade sector to have a 
major role in facing the rising prices of food and food by -products by removing import 
restrictions on major food and food by -products, while supply chain and food imports are 
going through a difficult phase caused by the setback of supply chains, the increased price 
of essential food products, the decline of economic growth, and other various reasons  
 
• The state of Kuwait supports more of the Arab nations to join the WTO, which will help them 
integrate effectively in the global economy. In addition, the Arabian Peninsula is one of the 
largest regions in the world that includes the highest number of countries  outside the multi -
lateral trade system.  
 
• (Introducing the Arabic language as an official language in the WTO) It is clear that including 
the Arabic language as an official language in the WTO dismisses imposed obstacles on trade 
due to the unavailability of translated documents and the absence of simultaneous 
translations during meetings and conferences, therefore recognizing the Arabic language in 
the works of the WTO would ease active participation and promote integration of Arab 
nations i n the multi -lateral trade system.  
 
• (Special and differential treatment for developing countries) We stress the importance on 
the provisions of the special and differential treatment in the WTO agreements, the centrality 
of the developmental dimension in th e multi -lateral trading system, where the system must 
respond to the needs and realities of the developing and least developed countries under 
the WTO, while continuing to provide technical assistance and capacity building for 
developing and least develope d countries by the World Trade Organization.  
 
• The assertation that the State of Palestine and the Arab League obtains observer status to 
participate in all WTO committees and bodies.  
 WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 28 
 
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  In conclusion, I wish this conference the utmost success.  
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