RESTRICTED  
  
WT/GC/M/196  
 
4 May  2022 
(22-3486) Page: 1/119 
General Council  
23-24 February 2022   
 
 
MINUTES OF  THE MEETING  
HELD IN THE CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD AND IN VIRTUAL FORMAT ON 23-24 FEBRUARY 2022 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr. Dacio Castillo (Honduras)  
The Chair , the Director -General and delegations  bade farewell to  H.E. Ms. Nazhat  Shameem Khan 
of Fiji  and expressed appreciation for her valuable contribution during her time as Permanent 
Representative.  They also bade farewell to Mr. Victor do Prado  – Director of the Council and TNC 
Division – and thanked him for his service to the o rganization.  
 
Subjects discussed1: 
 
1   TURKMENISTAN – REQUEST FOR ACCESSION PURSUANT TO ART. XII   .......................  2 
2   REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND  
REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  ................................ ................................ ............  12 
3   IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  ................................ ................................ ............................  27 
4   WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  ....................  32 
5   TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE –  
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  ................................ ................................ ............................  37 
6   WTO RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC – REPORT BY THE CHAIR  ................................ ... 38 
7   TRIPS COUNCIL MATTERS  ................................ ................................ .........................  55 
7.1   Status Report on the Considerations by the TRIPS Council on the revised "Proposal for a 
Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Pr evention, Containment and 
Treatment of COVID -19" – Statement by the Chair of the Council for TRIPS  .............................. 55 
8   WTO ACCESSIONS: 2021 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL –  
STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  ................................ ................................ ...... 66 
9   A SMOOTH TRANSITION PACKAGE IN FAVOUR OF MEMBERS GRADUATING  
FROM THE  LDC CATEGORY  ................................ ................................ .............................  67 
9.1   LDC Group's Interim Arrangement Submission on LDC Graduation –  
Communication from Chad on behalf of the LDC Group  ................................ ........................... 67 
9.2   Trade Related Challenges of the Least -Developed Countries and Way Forward:  
A Draft for MC Decision – Communication from Chad on behalf of the LDC Group  ...................... 67 
 
1 The proposed agenda was circulated in document WT/GC/W/842.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  10   IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM IN 
PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL MC12 – COMMUNICATION FROM ARGENTINA; 
AUSTRALIA; BRAZIL; BRUNEI DARUSSALAM; CANADA; CHILE; COLOM BIA;  
COSTA  RICA; DOMINICA; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR;  
EUROPEAN UNION; GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; HONG KONG, CHINA; ICELAND;  
ISRAEL; JAPAN; KAZAKHSTAN; KENYA; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; LAO PEOPLE'S 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC; LIECHTENSTEIN; MEXICO; REPUBLIC O F MOLDOVA;  
MONGOLIA; MONTENEGRO; MOROCCO;  NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY; PANAMA;  
PERU; PHILIPPINES; QATAR; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; THE SEPARATE  
CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU,  KINMEN AND MATSU; THAILAND;   
TURKEY; UKRAINE; UNITED  KINGDOM;  URUGUAY AND VANUATU   ................................  72 
11   WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND MORATORIUM ON  
IMPOSING CUSTOMS DUTIES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS –  
REQUEST FROM INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA  ................................ ................................ ... 82 
12   PAPER TITLED "THE LEGAL STATUS OF 'JOINT STATEMENT INITIATIVES'  
AND THEIR NEGOTIATED OUTCOMES" BY INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA   ..........  91 
13   PROPOSED SANITARY AND  PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE TWELFTH  
WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES –  
THE AFRICAN GROUP; ACP GROUP; ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; BELIZE; BRAZIL; 
BURKINA  FASO; CABO VERDE; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA RICA; 
CÔTE  D'IVOIRE;  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; THE GAMBIA; 
GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; JAPAN; MEXICO; NEW ZEALAND; PANAMA; PARAGUAY;  
PERU; SENEGAL; SINGAPORE; TAJIKISTAN; TOGO; THE UNITED STATES;  
UKRAINE; URUGUAY AND VIET NAM  ................................ ................................ ..............  98 
14   STRENGTHENING THE WTO TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVITY – 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP; CUBA AND INDIA   ..............................  101  
15   APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES  ................................ ......................  106  
16   OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 116  
16.1   Statement by the Chair in connection with Administr ative Measures for Members  
in arrears  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................  116 
17   ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON  ................................ ................................ .................  116  
ANNEX 1 – STATEMENTS ON THE TWELFTH SESSION OF THE  
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE (AGENDA ITEM 5)  ................................ ............................  119  
 
1  TURKMENISTAN – REQUEST FOR ACCESSION PURSUANT TO ART. XII (WT /ACC/TKM/1)  
1.1.  The Chair  drew Members' attention to the communication from Turkmenistan, circulated on 
22 November 2021 in document WT/ACC/TKM /1, requesting accession to the WTO Agreement 
pursuant to Article XII. As he had mentioned at the General Council meeting held in November 2021, 
this issue was requested to be placed before the Twelfth Ministerial Conference, for consideration 
and decision . Given the postponement of MC12, the delegation of Turkmenistan asked that its 
request be considered by Members at the next meeting of the General Council. Further to the 
circulation of this application, it was the Chair's understanding that consultations  had taken place 
through the Informal Group on Accessions and that, during these consultations, no Members had 
raised any objections or questions on the application. As delegations were aware, upon a request 
for accession and if this is acceptable to all, the action expected by the General Council was to agree 
to establish a Working Party. Therefore, if delegations agreed, he proposed that Members moved 
forward on this issue at the present meeting and formally take action on Turkmenistan's application.  
1.2.  In this regard, he read the terms of reference and composition that would form the basis of 
establishing the Working Party that would examine the request of Turkmenistan. They would read 
as follows:  
Terms of Reference: "To examine the application of Turkmeni stan to accede to the WTO Agreement 
under Article XII and to submit to the General Council recommendations which may include a draft 
Protocol of Accession."  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Membership: Membership is open to all Members indicating their wish to serve on the Working Party.  
Chairmanship: In keeping with customary practice, the General Council would authorize me as Chair 
to designate the Chairperson of the Working Party after consultation with representatives of 
Members and with the representative of the applicant.  
1.3.  Therefore, with respect to the request of Turkmenistan in WT/ACC/TKM/1, the Chair proposed 
that the General Council agreed to establish a Working Party with the terms of reference and 
composition as presented.  
1.4.  The General Council so agreed . 
1.5.  The Chair  noted that furth er communications would be sent regarding the consultations for the 
chairmanship of this Working Party. He warmly welcomed to the present meeting Ambassador 
Atageldi H aljanov  of Turkmenistan, and the delegation of Turkmenistan. He also congratulated the 
Government of Turkmenistan on the successful establishment of the Working Party. In line with this 
decision, he invited Turkmenistan to consult with the WTO Secretariat regarding the further 
procedures and the basic documentation to be considered by the Work ing Party. He also invited 
Turkmenistan to continue to attend meetings of the General Council and, as appropriate, meetings 
of other WTO bodies as observer during the period of their accession process. He then invited the 
delegation of Turkmenistan to take  the floor.  
1.6.  The representative of Turkmenistan , speaking as an Observer,  delivered the following 
statement:  
1.7.  Mr. Chairman, Director -General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to 
express sincere gratitude to all WTO Members on behalf of my government for supporting and 
accepting Turkmenistan's application for accession to the World Trade Organization, pursuant to 
Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO. Actually, this application should have 
been considered have been c onsidered at the Ministerial Conference last year but, due to reasons 
we all know, it was postponed.  As you know, on 22 July 2020 , Turkmenistan was granted observer 
status by the General Council. In less than 2 years after that, the Government of Turkmenis tan 
submitted its application for accession. Turkmenistan's decision to become an acceding country at 
the WTO demonstrates the country's objective to adhere to the rules of the multilateral trading 
system and shows the strong commitment of the Government o f Turkmenistan to become a full -
fledged Member of the WTO and to work jointly with its Members.  
1.8.  With the adoption of "the Foreign Trade Strategy of Turkmenistan for the period 2021 -2030", 
which was adopted as part of the implementation of the "Program of development of foreign 
economic activity of Turkmenistan in 2020 -2025", the Government of Turkmenistan identified new 
challenges to increase the production and export capacity of our state's economy, increasing the 
competitiveness of domestic goods in the world markets, further improving the business 
environment and investment background in the economy of Turkmenistan. The participation of 
Turkmenistan as an observer in the work of the WTO helped us remain  up to date on the current 
multilateral trade agenda  and WTO rules. But the growing trends of economic globalization in the 
modern world, especially after the pandemic, have set for Turkmenistan the task to integrate into 
the world economy and the system of international economic relations more intensively.  
1.9.  To achieve this task, after becoming an observer, we started working more intensively on next 
steps for Turkmenistan within the framework of the organization. The Governmental Commission in 
charge of studying issues relating to Turkmenistan's accession to  the WTO has continuously been 
considering in detail all aspects of interaction with the WTO, to see if it would meet the national 
interests of Turkmenistan.  At this point, I would like to name three main factors which have driven 
Turkmenistan towards WTO accession. First, Turkmenistan pays great attention to attracting 
investments from abroad and to developing trade relations with foreign countries. Accession provides 
guarantees and transparency for investors and trading partners. Second, accession will al low 
Turkmenistan to move forward with its position on commercial issues and find rapid solutions. Third, 
the integration of Turkmenistan into international economic structures, such as the WTO, will enable 
the country to further strengthen its position in foreign trade, as well as to carry out comprehensive 
and beneficial cooperation.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  1.10.   Let me also inform you that we have already started to work with the Accession Division of 
the WTO on the Schedule of Work on the draft Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime of 
Turkmenistan. This action plan will be adopted soon. Moreover, the Governmental Commission of 
Turkmenistan is also working on the establishment of the following inter -agency working groups, so 
as to bring the legislation of Turkmenistan in line with the req uirements of the WTO: on legislation; 
on customs and tariff issues; on agriculture policy; on trade in services; on sanitary and 
phytosanitary; on technical barriers on trade; and on intellectual property policy.  Having said that, 
I would like to reiterate  Turkmenistan's readiness and commitment to enhance its efforts to prepare 
all relevant documents to organize the working party's first meeting in the near future. Also, I would 
like to invite all interested Members to get involved in Turkmenistan's access ion negotiations and to 
share their own experiences. We are looking forward to receiving the support of the WTO Members 
on this matter. In conclusion, let me express my gratitude for your kind attention.  
1.11.   The Chair of the General Council thanked Turkmenistan for the statement and once again 
presented his congratulat ions on the start of the journey to accession.  
1.12.   The Director -General , speaking under agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the following 
statement :  
1.13.   I welcome the establishment of the Working Party on the accession of Turkmenistan. Today's 
decision marks a significant step forward in Turkmenistan's relationship with the multilateral trading 
system, which started as an observer to the GATT in July 1992 , soon afte r its independence, and 
was renewed when it obtained WTO observer status in July 2020. Turkmenistan's request to start 
accession negotiations is the result of years of intensive domestic work, complemented by assistance 
from partners and the WTO Secretaria t, to understand the benefits of accession process and 
eventually WTO membership. By creating a Working Party for Turkmenistan's accession, the General 
Council has now completed the WTO accession map in Central Asia, one of our most active regions 
for expa nding membership. My Accession team and I will remain at your disposal to assist you at 
every step of your accession journey. I wish you all the best. I am pleased to present my first annual 
report on WTO Accessions as Director -General. For all of the chal lenges we face in the multilateral 
trading system, joining the WTO remains a guiding star for acceding countries, who see accession 
as a bulwark for domestic reforms and a door to new economic opportunities. The application from 
Turkmenistan, to which the General Council just gave a green light, stands as testament  to this. It 
is a reminder to all of us about the value the WTO continues to provide to all members.  
1.14.   The report describes how governments worked with Members and the Secretariat to advance 
their accession processes despite pandemic -related challenges. LDCs and the underlying challenges 
they face are the thematic focus of the report – as WTO membership approaches universality, LDCs 
and fragile and conflict -affected states now account for the bulk o f acceding governments. It is 
notable that all three Working Parties that met formally last year were for LDCs: the Comoros, Sudan 
and Timor -Leste. The Comoros in particular moved another step towards the finish line at its 6th 
Working Party meeting in Sep tember. President Azali Assoumani told me at COP 26 in Glasgow that 
the Comoros is determined to finalize its accession this year.  Non-LDC accessions are also moving 
ahead. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most advanced, but progress is currently frozen due t o the 
domestic political situation. Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Curaçao all took significant steps forward in 
their accession processes last year. Iraq moved to revive accession talks that had been stalled since 
2004, paving the way for its Working Party to  resume in the coming months.  
1.15.   In addition to describing progress in all ongoing accessions, the report points to some 
highlights of accession -related work in 2021, such as the use of virtual platforms to increase 
technical assistance deliver and expand pa rticipation in Working Party processes to domestic 
stakeholders in ways that previously would not have been possible.  Looking ahead to 2022, I believe 
that the Comoros and Bosnia and Herzegovina could potentially become the WTO's first new 
members since 20 16. I stand ready to facilitate the efforts of these governments and Members. I 
also intend to develop a Secretariat work programme, led by DDG Zhang and the Accession team to 
review each accession file, and identify possible steps to unlock processes that  in some cases have 
not moved for years. The Secretariat will continue to support the G7+ WTO Accessions Group, led 
by Liberia and Timor -Leste, which has been championing the WTO's role in promoting peace and 
stability, in line with the Trade for Peace pro gramme.  In conclusion, I would like to thank WTO 
Members for their engagement in the accession work, and especially to Working Party Chairs for the 
critical roles they play. I invite all Members to carefully review this annual Accessions Report and 
provide  comments and suggestions.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  1.16.   The representative of Kazakhstan  delivered the following statement:  
1.17.   We congratulate and welcome the delegation of Turkmenistan led by my colleague and friend 
Atageldi Haljanov at this General Council meeting. Turkmenistan is a st rategic neighbour and close 
political, economic and trading partner of Kazakhstan. Our countries enjoy enhanced and mutually 
beneficial cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture sectors as well as in the area of development of 
transport and transit corrido rs. We welcome Turkmenistan's willingness to become a WTO Member. 
Accession to the WTO as its full -fledged Member is of vital importance for the successful integration 
of Turkmenistan into the global economy. We would like to express our words of support a nd 
encouragement to Turkmenistan and wish them success in the upcoming negotiations. Based on our 
experience we would like just to note that these negotiations are going to be complex, and they 
require many reforms in the trade and economic policies of the  acceding country. We stand ready 
to share our expertise based on our recent experience of accession to the WTO. Using this 
opportunity, I also would like to note the hard work undertaken by the Accession Division of the 
WTO Secretariat in providing guidan ce and technical assistance to acceding Members. Based on our 
experience, I would like to say that this is highly important, not only from the Secretariat but also 
from negotiating partners. In conclusion, I would like to say that we are looking forward to  welcoming 
Turkmenistan in the near future as a full -fledged Member of the WTO.  
1.18.   The representative of Turkey  delivered the following statement:  
1.19.   Before starting my statement, I would like to bid farewell to the outgoing permanent 
representative of Fiji and  to Council and TNC Director Victor Do Prado. I wish them the best of luck 
in their future endeavours. I would also like to welcome the new permanent representatives and I 
look forward to working with them in the coming days. Turkey congratulates and warml y welcomes 
Turkmenistan's request for accession to the organization. We consider this as an important step for 
Turkmenistan's efforts to craft countries' trade policies. We also see this request as a reflection of 
Turkmenistan's dedication to pursue an ope n and non -discriminatory rules -based trading system. It 
is evident that the accession process is a long and challenging journey. In this process, we are 
confident about Turkmenistan's clear commitment, strong dedication and tireless efforts to swiftly 
advance towards the finish line. On the other hand, we believe that it is important for the entire 
Membership to take into consideration the capabilities of acceding countries. We would like to 
reiterate Turkey's full support to Turkmenistan's accession to the  WTO. We look forward to seeing it 
as a Member as soon as possible.  
1.20.   The representative of the United States , speaking under agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the 
following statement:  
1.21.   We thank Turkmenistan for submitting its request for accession to the WTO pursuant to 
Article  XII, and for its Overview of the Economic Policy and Foreign Trade Regime of Turkmenistan. 
The United States is a strong advocate of the WTO accession process. Fundamentally, we see WTO 
accession as a domestic reform process whereby an applicant aligns its trade regime with WTO rules 
and principles. We are pleased to join a consensus to establish a Working Party to negotiate the 
terms of accession for Turkmenistan. We look forward to working with Turkmenistan and other 
Members  as Turkmenistan seek to advance its accession.  We take note of the Director -General's 
Annual Report, which was written under the Secretariat's own responsibility. We welcome the closer 
look at LDC accessions in the report. Overall, we are encouraged by th e progress and sustained 
focus of some LDC applicants, and we want them to succeed in their work to become Members. We 
will continue to work constructively with them toward that end. Once again, the report shows a 
positive correlation between WTO accession  and various economic indicators, including growth in 
merchandise trade, product diversification, geographical diversification of exports, and more.  
1.22.   Of note, Figure 4 shows a significant increase in product diversification both before and after 
the date o f accession. It is another sign that the benefits of WTO accession begin during the accession 
process, as domestic reforms necessary for accession take hold. This reinforces our view that the 
accession process, which is by design iterative and rigorous, co ntributes important long -term 
benefits to applicants. Consider the questions and replies process. We see it as an important and 
unique form of technical assistance, whereby Members with decades of experience help applicants 
learn WTO rules and principles a nd grapple successfully to apply those rules and principles in their 
trade regime. This work may seem laborious, but properly done, it prepares the applicant for the 
rigors of full participation as a Member. That said, we do wish that more than just a hand ful of 
Members would join us in rolling up their sleeves to advance accession. We often have the distinct WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  impression that we're one of only a few Members who are even reading applicants' inputs and 
preparing for Working Party meetings.  
1.23.   I would like to tou ch briefly on the Secretariat's announcement in Paragraph 13 that it intends 
to establish a technical assistance coordination group. We do not recall any discussion or agreement 
among Members concerning this. We would like to underline that the process for  providing technical 
assistance is, and will remain, a bilateral one. This is fundamental.  However, this does not mean the 
Secretariat cannot make a useful contribution. The Secretariat, through its frequent contact with 
applicants' technical teams, its ex amination of inputs before circulation to the Working Party, and 
its work in drafting the Working Party Report, has particular insight into where technical assistance 
would be most useful for an applicant.  We believe it would help if the Secretariat were t o assist 
certain applicants in identifying their technical assistance needs, and  –importantly - in 
communicating them to the Working Party in a timely way. Members would then have an opportunity 
to reflect on that information and look for opportunities to h elp. Finally, we would like to commend 
the Secretariat for its efforts to ensure that Working Party Chairs are based in Geneva. There are a 
few accessions for which the Chair is no longer based here, and these positions should be turned 
over. 
1.24.   The represent ative of Panama , on behalf of the Article XII Members , delivered the following 
statement:  
1.25.   For those Heads of Delegation colleagues leaving, I just wish to say that it has been a pleasure 
working with them and that they will not be forgotten. I wish them ev ery success in their future 
endeavours, including colleagues from the Secretariat who are also leaving. Victor, in particular; I 
do not see him there right at this moment, but as far as I understood he will be seen again, and he 
will continue to make signi ficant contributions to the work of the WTO. I would like to welcome all 
new colleagues and particularly, and on behalf of the Group of Article XII Members, also Ambassador 
Haljanov, Turkmenistan. We welcome the acceptance of Turkmenistan's application to begin their 
accession process pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement. We welcome Turkmenistan's 
comments in WT/ACC/TKM/1, in which they indicate that the development of its trade policy will be 
driven by the principles of openness and non -discrimination for trade and investment relations with 
WTO Members. We congratulate Ashgabat for submitting the documents concerning their economic 
policy and foreign trade regime and as correctly highlighted in the 2021 Accessions Annual Report, 
which we do re ad. Each accession application to the WTO is a vote of confidence in the multilateral 
trading system, which continues to offer acceding governments an opportunity to lock -in reforms, 
to modernize and transform their economies based on internationally agree d rules and best 
practices. We look forward to the start of the accession process for Turkmenistan as well as its future 
integration into the rules -based multilateral trading system.  
1.26.   The representative of Mongolia , on behalf of the LLDCs , delivered the fo llowing statement:  
1.27.   First, I would like to welcome the new colleagues who are joining us in Geneva and then bid 
farewell to colleagues who are leaving, and also to Victor Do Prado, for their service for the WTO 
and its Members. Mongolia congratulates Turkme nistan for the submission of their application to the 
WTO Membership. We express our full support for Turkmenistan's Membership and wish them 
success in the negotiations. I would also like to say a few words on behalf of the LLDC Group. The 
LLDCs welcome T urkmenistan's official accession application and do believe that Turkmenistan 
accession as a land -locked Member will lend an important voice on issues of common concern to the 
developing Members, particularly land -locked developing countries. Mongolia is r eady to share its 
experience in joining the WTO as a land -locked country. Mongolia and the land -locked developing 
countries express their full support to the government of Turkmenistan.  
1.28.   The representative of China , speaking under  agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the following 
statement:  
1.29.   China warmly welcomes Turkmenistan 's application for accession to the WTO.  Turkmenistan 
is a major country in Central Asia and one of the largest economies outside the WTO. Turkmenistan 's 
WTO member ship will not only help improve its integration into the global economy, but also benefit 
all WTO Members and enhance the representativeness and inclusiveness of the multilateral trading 
system.  Bilaterally, China and Turkmenistan have long been enjoying g ood trade and economic 
relations. Since 2011, China has been Turkmenistan's top trading partner. China is ready to provide WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  necessary assistance to facilitate Turkmenistan 's accession through bilateral and multilateral 
channels, and we look forward to welco ming Turkmenistan to the WTO family at the earliest possible 
time. I would  like to thank the DG for presenting the annual report on WTO accessions. My thanks 
also go to DDG Zhang and the Secretariat for their persistent and tireless efforts to advance the 
WTO accession process, particularly under such unusual circumstance s caused by the global 
pandemic.  We highly commend the constant political commitments and efforts made by acceding 
governments on domestic reform in conformity with WTO rules and principles . We are also deeply 
encouraged by DG's report on substantial progress achieved on WTO accessions in 2021, especially 
on that of acceding LDCs.  Recognizing the particular difficulties and challenges faced by LDCs in the 
accession process, China has been pl aying an active role in promoting developing and LDCs ' 
accession through China Program.  I would like to emphasize that, though there have been no 
accession negotiations concluded in the past five years, all the efforts will pay off over time. China 
calls o n all Members to show utmost flexibility in seeking market access. It is high time for us to 
welcome new members and inject new blood into the WTO family.  
1.30.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
1.31.   As this is the first time I take the floor in the formal mode of the General Council, I would like 
to warmly welcome new colleagues who arrived in Geneva and to say a farewell to those who are 
leaving us. I also would like to join others in expressing appreciation for the effo rts of Mr. Victor do 
Prado to the work of the WTO. My team and myself have two decades of relations with Victor and 
we are very grateful for the tremendous help which he afforded in the years of Russia's accession to 
the WTO as well as during the first yea rs of Russia's full Membership in this organization. We also 
very much appreciate numerous contributions of Victor to our work and the functioning of the WTO, 
inter alia  for the renovation of the WTO premises which made our work in this house much more 
comfortable, cosy and, I would say, effective. So, I hope very much that our relations with Victor 
will continue, and I wish him every success in his future endeavours. Now, on the current item of 
our agenda, I have to say that the Russian Federation welcomes  and supports Turkmenistan's 
request for the WTO accession. Our countries have enjoyed decades of strategic partnership based 
on mutual respect and common interest. Economic and trade cooperation between Moscow and 
Ashgabat has been on the rise throughout the years. In 2020, bilateral trade turnover tripled in 
comparison with the previous year and accounted for almost one billion US dollars. In the first seven 
months of 2021, mutual trade further increased by 21% compared to the same period of the previous 
year and we note with appreciation the fruitful economic collaboration with Turkmenistan in multiple 
areas including transport industry, oil and gas sector, agriculture etc. We very much hope that the 
WTO Membership, and the benefits that it brings, will c ontribute to the economic prosperity of 
Turkmenistan and its people.  
1.32.   The representative of  the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
1.33.   Like others who spoke before me, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the new 
colleagues and bid farewe ll to the departing colleagues. Korea takes positive note of, and welcomes 
Turkmenistan's request to join the WTO. My delegation also supports the decision made today at 
this Council in this regard. Joining the WTO under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreem ent can be a 
long and arduous process, but I also recognize the tremendous value of the extensive institutional 
and legal reforms that are undertaken during the accession process in order to comply with WTO 
rules. It takes a great deal of commitment and fa r-reaching efforts from the acceding government. 
The government of Turkmenistan deserves great credit for making this important decision. With 
Turkmenistan's application, all the Central Asian countries are now either WTO Members or in the 
process of joini ng, this will help enhance the inclusiveness and universality of the WTO. I also wish 
to thank and congratulate the DG and the WTO Secretariat for the publication of the 2021 Annual 
Report on WTO Accessions. It is a testament to the importance of the acces sion-related work of the 
WTO in the context of the acceding countries' reform efforts as well as the enhanced inclusiveness 
of the organisation. Once again, I welcome Turkmenistan's request to become a Member of the WTO 
and Turkmenistan being an important partner of Korea's New Northern Policy. My delegation will 
participate actively in the accession process.  
1.34.   The representative of India, speaking under  agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the following 
statement:  
1.35.   I would like to take this opportunity to welcome  the new Permanent Representatives joining 
us from Grenada, Indonesia, Nicaragua and New Zealand. I wish them all success in their stay in WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Geneva. At the same time, I would like to convey my gratitude to our friend from Fiji who is leaving 
Geneva and wish him success in his future endeavours. My best wishes also go to Victor do Prado. 
As we say in cricket, I wish him success in his new winnings, and I wish that he will hit many sixes 
working for the Brazilian Institutions.  India welcomes the request for accession made by 
Turkmenistan contained in the document WT/ACC/TKM/1. India shares close, friendly and historical 
ties with Turkmenistan and would like to express its support for the request of Turkmenistan to 
accede to the WTO. India stands ready for fur ther engagement with Turkmenistan during the 
accession process, to strengthen our mutually beneficial trade, investment and people to people 
relations. On Agenda Item 8, the report shows that we have not been able to reduce the average 
accession time. From  the establishment of a working party to the accession, ten years and two 
months generally pass. This is a fact contained in the report. For LDCs, it is twelve years and six 
months. For non -LDCs it is nine years and four months. Hence, it is almost 33% lon ger for LDCs 
when compared to non -LDC Members. I would request that the Membership and the Secretariat take 
extra initiatives to accelerate this process. Turkmenistan's application should beat that trend. Let us 
know that the average accession duration has  been reduced. One positive element coming from that 
report is that, even though there are delays regarding the average accession duration, there is an 
encouraging sign of product diversification even before the accession, as illustrated in Figure 4 of 
Paragraph 119. This shows that, also during the accession process, prospective Members have 
started reaping the benefits of joining the WTO. That is a positive sign, and we should try to obtain 
more data about this fact.  
1.36.   The representative of Morocco  delivere d the following statement:  
1.37.   Allow me at the outset to extend a warm welcome to new colleagues and Ambassadors joining 
us in Geneva and I wish them every success in their work. I also wish every success to Ambassador 
Nazhat from Fiji who has departed Geneva.  Allow me to say how pleased we have been with the 
work of Mr. Do Prado in the organization. Morocco has followed him for some time. We have seen 
the excellent way in which he manages the work within the organization. We have seen his 
contribution to the s uccess in achieving the organization's outcomes. Under this particular item, 
allow me to welcome the efforts of the Director -General and the special interest she has in 
accessions. She demonstrated that once again with the Second Regional High -Level Dialog ue on 
Accessions for the Arab Region, which took place on 7 -9 February, just recently. We welcome the 
positive dynamic of accessions now which demonstrates the importance and the use of the 
international multilateral trading system, in spite of the difficu lt circumstances facing the 
organization at present. We reiterate the importance of a multilateral trading system that is fair and 
which promotes the integration of our economy into a global economy from a sustainable 
development approach. That is why we c ommend Turkmenistan for its request for accession. We 
are following the process very carefully and we will fully support them so that we can integrate a 
friendly country which has demonstrated its interest in the objectives and the work of the WTO. I 
would  also like to remind you that Morocco is currently Chairing two Accessions Working Parties, 
that of Iraq and that of Comoros. I am personally Chair of that Working Party. The Comoros accession 
process has now reached a very mature stage. Among all of the a ccession requests from Arab and 
LDC countries that are not Members of the organization, it is the most mature. We are convinced 
that Comoros joining the WTO will have a positive impact on its socioeconomic development and will 
help to strengthen the multil ateral trading system.  
1.38.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
1.39.   Japan welcomes the accession application of Turkmenistan to the WTO. We hope that 
Turkmenistan's WTO accession process will go smoothly and contribute to its further dev elopment 
in the global economic system. Japan will support the process.  
1.40.   The representative of Tajikistan  delivered the following statement:  
1.41.   I would like to join others in welcoming new colleagues and bidding farewell departing 
colleagues. I deliver this st atement on behalf of my Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Jamshed 
Khamidov, who was not able to join us today due to another engagement. I would like to welcome 
and congratulate Turkmenistan for the establishment of the Working Party on its accession to the 
WTO and wish them a pleasant and smooth accession process. We associate ourselves with 
statements delivered by Panama on behalf of Article XII Members and by Mongolia on behalf of the 
LLDC Group. Accession to the WTO is an important step towards the expansi on of trade cooperation 
and will be an important achievement for Turkmenistan and for the multilateral trading system. WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Tajikistan -Turkmenistan bilateral relations have traditionally been built on the basis of mutually 
beneficial cooperation. Tajikistan and  Turkmenistan share close economic ties. Generally, Tajikistan 
and Turkmenistan relations successfully develop political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, 
cultural and other spheres. Tajikistan is interested in continuing to develop mutually benefic ial 
relations with Turkmenistan is in the framework of the WTO. We commend the effort of the 
government of Turkmenistan to request accession pursuant to Article XII and look forward to 
receiving further documentary inputs for review and consideration. In c onclusion, the Republic of 
Tajikistan highly appreciates the strong commitment of Turkmenistan to become a full -fledged 
Member of the WTO and wish them a successful accession process.  
1.42.   The representative of  the European Union  delivered the following statem ent: 
1.43.   We would like to warmly welcome the Permanent Representatives from Grenada, Indonesia, 
Nicaragua and New Zealand. We also bid farewell to the Permanent Representative of Fiji and note 
the warm working relations we have developed. I also take this oppo rtunity to thank, on behalf of 
the European Union, Victor do Prado, for the work he has done for the WTO. He has been a pillar of 
this organisation and, in particular, of this Council. Victor has been a source of precious advice, 
pragmatism and good sense.  He will be dearly missed. I hope this last General Council will stay in 
your memory as we may agree on a date for MC12.  The European Union welcomes and supports the 
application of Turkmenistan to the WTO and the establishment of the Working Party. The Eur opean 
Union is looking forward to working closely with Turkmenistan in order to bring its regime in 
compliance with WTO rules and to best integrate it into the multilateral trade system.  
1.44.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf African Group , speaking under agenda items 1 
and 8 , delivered the following statement:  
1.45.   I would first like to welcome the steps that Turkmenistan has taken to join the Organization 
and to tell them how keen we are to work constructively towards their accession. The African Group 
thanks the Director -General for her report on accessions and applauds the Secretariat's efforts in 
that regard. We know that those efforts should be encouraged because they contribute to the 
broadening of the Organization. We reiterate our willingness to assis t all countries particularly 
developing countries, we are focused on LDCs to take into account all the relevant issues because 
the accession of new Members makes this organization more universal and fosters trade which is 
very important for the development  of those countries. Finally, my delegation would like to welcome 
our new Members and to think about the people who are leaving us, particularly Victor Do Prado, 
whose professionalism we recognize. We have attached great value to his recommendations and 
advice over the years.  
1.46.   The representative of Kyrgyz Republic  delivered the following statement:  
1.47.   The Kyrgyz Republic welcomes the new Ambassadors and bids farewell to the departing 
Ambassadors. We also express deep gratitude to Victor Do Prado for his fruitf ul work in the WTO 
and wish him the best success in his work in the Brazilian institutions. On behalf of the Kyrgyz 
Republic, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to the delegation of the Republic of 
Turkmenistan led by H.E. Ambassador Haljanov. We c ongratulate the Republic of Turkmenistan for 
the submission of their application for the WTO Membership. The Republic of Turkmenistan is a close 
economic and political partner of the Kyrgyz Republic with high potential for further growth. This 
belief is ba sed on the fact that all the necessary conditions exist: proximity, language and cultural 
commonalities. Particularly, warm and fraternal relations have been developed between the Kyrgyz 
Republic and Turkmenistan. Our cooperation is developing in the spiri t of friendship and mutual 
respect as well as on the basis of common history, cultural and spiritual values. In recent years, 
Kyrgyz -Turkmenistan relations have been marked by high activity in the number of significant 
economic events. The Kyrgyz Republic sees the accession of the Republic of Turkmenistan to the 
WTO as a very important opportunity to further discuss market access offers relating to trade in 
both goods and services as well as to address systematic issues in order to further boost the mutual 
beneficial trade and economic cooperation. We believe that the accession of Turkmenistan to the 
WTO will allow a further deepening of regional economic cooperation for the countries in our region 
in particular, and in global economic integration in general .  
1.48.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , speaking under  agenda items 1 and 8 , 
delivered the following statement:  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  1.49.   The LDC Group wishes to thank the Director -General for her statement and report. We take 
note of the fact that the LDCs currently in the accession process have already taken on significant 
commitments. We, therefore, urge all Members as per the 2002 LDC Accession Guidelines not to 
seek concessions and commitments beyond the benchmark levels set for an average tariff and 
binding cover age on goods and market access opening for services stipulated in Addendum I. We 
also take this opportunity to welcome technical assistance and capacity -building support extended 
following accession, as this is essential to equip the delegations here in Ge neva with the necessary 
tools to carry out their work in an effective manner.  
1.50.   The representative of  the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , on behalf of the Arab Group , speaking 
under  agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the following statement:  
1.51.   We first wish to say fare well to the Ambassadors that are leaving Geneva and we welcome 
those joining us. We wish to share our gratitude to Victor do Prado. We wish him all the best in the 
future.  Under Agenda Item 1, we congratulate our brothers of Turkmenistan for their decision  to join 
the WTO. We think that this request will help Turkmenistan better integrate into the multilateral 
trading system and it will be helpful in order to make the necessary economic reforms. We wish 
Turkmenistan every success and we wish to celebrate th eir accession soon.  Under Agenda Item 8, 
the Arab Group would like to thank the Director -General for presenting the WTO Accessions Report 
2021 and for your valuable participation in the 2nd High -Level Regional Dialogue on WTO Accessions 
for the Arab Region  on 7-9 February 2022. We also would like to extend our thanks to the Secretariat , 
particularly the Accessions Division , for their outstanding efforts in organizing this event in 
collaboration with the Arab Monetary Fund and the Islamic Development Bank. T he High -Level 
Regional Dialogue was an opportunity for acceding countries to share their experiences and voice 
their technical assistance needs regarding the accession process with the aim of strengthening 
regional, international and organizational coopera tion. We commend the collaboration between the 
WTO, IsDB and AMF in assisting Arab acceding countries to better integrate into the multilateral 
trading system and accelerate their process to join the WTO. Globalization is a fact of our time and 
integration  to the global economy is a main cause for further reforms and economic development, 
particularly for Least Developing Countries (LDCs). We hope that MC12 would be an occasion for 
more countries to accede to the WTO.  
1.52.   The representative of Singapore,  speak ing under agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the 
following statement:  
1.53.   Before I deliver my statement allow me to take a moment to welcome new colleagues and 
wish colleagues who are leaving Geneva the very best. I also wish to acknowledge the contributions 
of Victor Do Prado. Victor has been a pillar of the Secretariat and many generations of WTO trade 
negotiators have benefited from Victor's extensive experience, institutional memory and above all 
his friendship. I wish him all the best as he embarks on a new c hapter in his life. I will now turn to 
my statement. First, Singapore warmly welcomes Turkmenistan's application for accession. Bilateral 
trade and economic ties have grown since the state visit of the President of Turkmenistan to 
Singapore in 2019 and our  DTA entered into force in 2020. Every application for accession is a vow 
of confidence in the WTO and the multilateral trading system. We look forward to the expansion of 
the Membership and to meaningful contributions from acceding Members in upholding th e rules -
based multilateral trading system. In this context, we wish Turkmenistan all the best in their 
accession process. Second, we wish to thank DG Ngozi for her insightful report and commend the 
Secretariat for the outstanding efforts in facilitating ac cession processes and delivering the required 
technical assistance, training and outreach. Singapore also appreciates the active engagement of 
the Chairs of the Working Parties to advance accessions negotiations. Despite the challenges of the 
COVID -19 pand emic, we are happy to know that the Secretariat has turned a crisis into an 
opportunity by almost doubling the number of technical assistance activities from the previous year 
by leveraging technology and hosting such activities on virtual platforms. Third , Singapore affirms 
the value of the WTO accessions process. Acceding governments have worked to implement 
domestic reforms that will modernize their economies in alignment with international norms and to 
provide meaningful market access. The integration i nto the international trading system also plays 
a critical role in facilitating peace and stability.  
1.54.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , speaking under agenda items 1 and 8 , 
delivered the following statement:  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  1.55.   I wish to express a very warm welcome to new permanent representatives who are joining 
us. We look forward to working with you all. We also extend a fond farewell to colleagues who are 
leaving us, especially to the Ambassador of Fiji, a fellow ACP and SID Member. I join others in also 
thanking Mr. Victor do Prado for his sterling contribution to the WTO and its Members and, by 
extension, to the multilateral trading system. We wish him every success as he embarks on his new 
journey.  
1.56.   On behalf of the ACP Gro up, we join in welcoming the request by Turkmenistan for acceding 
to the WTO and for the establishment of the working party for the process. There is no doubt about 
the positive impact of WTO Membership in the propulsion of transparency, non -discrimination , 
predictability, creation of new trading and business opportunities and importantly for integration into 
the global trading economy, which will also serve to boost bilateral relations among countries. We 
wish Turkmenistan well in their accession process a nd pledge the support of our Members towards 
a successful conclusion and, by extension, a speedy welcome into the WTO fold. I also use this 
opportunity to thank the Director -General for her very positive report under agenda item 8 on WTO 
Accessions and we look forward to positive outcomes on the various accessions negotiations which 
are underway.  
1.57.   The representative of Cambodia , speaking under agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered the 
following statement:  
1.58.   Allow me first to congratulate Turkmenistan for receiving approval for the accession process.  
We also would like to bid farewell to outgoing Ambassadors and wish all the best to them. We would 
like to welcome new Ambassadors, especially our fellow ASEAN colleague, Amb assador  Febrian  
Ruddyard  of Indonesia, to the WTO. We look forward to working closely with them. We would like 
to thank Mr. Victor do Prado for his work at the WTO. We wish him all the best in his future 
endeavour.  On Item 8, we thank the Director General for her report on the 20 21 annual report on 
WTO accessions. We associate ourselves with the statement made by Chad on behalf of the LDC 
Group. Accession to the WTO allows an LDC to integrate into the rule -based multilateral trading 
system and to use trade as the main vehicle for economic development. For Cambodia, since joining 
the WTO in 2004, we have achieved significant growth in terms of economic development, human 
capacity and  per capita earning. Therefore, we fully support all LDC accessions to the WTO, especially 
for our fe llow Southeast Asian country, Timor -Leste.  We note that LDC accession process took an 
average of more than 12 years to complete, as the Ambassador  of India mentioned . According to 
one of the DG 's speeches relating to  LDC accession , that it is "too long ". Moreover, we also note that 
there has not been an accession since 2016.  Therefore, I sincerely hope that LDC accessions could 
be carried out more expeditiously . I join Chad, the LDC coordinator, in thei r call for more technical 
assistance and capacity -building support to acceding LDCs to better prepare for the accession 
process.   
1.59.   The representative of Uzbekistan , speaking as an  Observer , on behalf of the Informal Group 
of Acceding Governments , speaking under agenda items 1 and 8 , delivered  the following stat ement:  
1.60.   At the outset, I would like to wish all the best to the outgoing Ambassadors and to newcomers. 
And I also would like to express our appreciation to Victor Do Prado who is leaving after 20 years of 
active work in the WTO; we wish him all the best. Under agenda item 1, Uzbekistan would like to 
take this opportunity to congratulate Turkmenistan for its application to accede to the WTO pursuant 
to Article XII  of the Marrakesh Agreement . Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have very close historical 
relations  and comprehensive bilateral cooperation in various fields. Today's relation between our 
countries is developing dynamically . There is continuous engagement a t the highest level between 
our two countries which is  contributing to the development of  mutual ly beneficial trade and economic 
cooperation. We have a free trade regime and good dynamics regarding  trade turnover over the 
past years . Bilateral trade between our countries has increased several times. In the future, the two 
countries are also pl anning to implement joint projects in different areas including assembling of 
cars, electric engineering, building materials, and creat ing clusters in the field of tourism. In the 
region, Uzbekistan is one of the leading exporters of textiles, agriculture products and various 
services . We are  for the expansion of close trade cooperation between both countries as well as  
important investment s to ensur e the well -being of people and business es. To conclude, I would like 
to wish Turkmenistan the best for a swif t and successful accession process.  
1.61.   Under agenda item 8 on the Accessions Report , I would like to make a statement on behalf 
of the Informal Group of Acceding Governments which Uzbekistan coordinat es since  last November. WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  I would like to express the Group' s appreciation to the Director -General , Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala , 
for the presentation of her first Annual Report on WTO Accessions. The Group welcomes the DG's 
personal engagement on accessions as a systemic and important issue for the WTO. The DG , 
togethe r with DDG Zhang, has met many of us over the last 12 months. In particular , I would like 
to thank the DG for meeting with the Group last November to share her vision regarding  accessions 
and to listen to our challenges and concerns. The Group also takes g ood note of the annual report 
including the outlook for 2022 . We particularly welcome the Director -General's personal commitment 
to advance accessions , including through the development of the WTO Secretariat Work Programme 
that aims to assess bottlenecks in the process and identify possible ways forward for each accession, 
especially in the area of technical assistance and capacity building. The Group stands ready to assist 
you in your efforts. Lastly, we, as acceding governments , reiterate our commitment to join the rules -
based multilateral trading system and sincerely thank WTO Members for their continuous and 
invaluable support in this journey.  
1.62.   In our  national capacity I would like to say a few words. Uzbekistan also welcome s the 2021 
Annual Report by t he Director -General . It rightly indicates that , in 2021 , Uzbekistan worked 
intensively , including  with the Secretariat , to prepare the necessary documentation for an active 
engagement with Members in 2022. We are committed to make substantive progress , to potential ly 
hold more than one Working Party meeting this year and to submit additional documents. Since 
2017, under the leadership of the president of Uzbekistan , Shavkat Mirziyayev, large scale structural 
transformations have been carried out and aimed a t building an open state with a market economy. 
The New Uzbekistan development strategy for 2022-2026 foresees the implementation of target 
measures to liberalize the foreign trade regime 's current regulation , which creates favourable 
conditions for the ac cession of Uzbekistan to the WTO. We also thank  the WTO Secretariat for the 
organization of 45 technical assistance and capacity building events in 2021 which involved all 
observers, including training sessions on WTO accession negotiations. In this regard , we would like 
to thank the DG and DDG Zhang, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea, 
Ambassador Lee, as well as Ms. Oshikawa and her team in Accessions Division for the comprehensive 
and constant assistance they have been providing to Uzbe kistan during the accession process.  In 
2022, we will continue and accelerate the accession process . Based on our country's strong political 
will to integrate the economy of Uzbekistan into global markets of goods and services, we have 
launched extensive w ork to bring our national legislation in line with the requirements of the WTO. 
Moreover, we stand ready to continue bilateral market access negotiations with interested Members 
in the Working Party.  
1.63.   The General Council took note of the statements and of the expressions of support to the 
Government of Turkmenistan.  
2  REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORT BY 
THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
2.1.  The Chair  invite d the Director -General and Chair of the TNC to provide her report on the 
activities and  work since her last report to the General Council.  
 
2.2.  The Director -General  delivered the following statement2: 
2.3.  Since the November meeting of the General Council, in conjunction with you, GC Chair, we 
convened an informal Heads of Delegation meeting on 3 De cember for Members to express their 
views on the way forward following the postponement of MC12. Echoing what I said at that meeting, 
this unexpected setback does not change the underlying reality on the ground that the people we 
serve need a WTO that deli vers results. We must do so – and soon. This is the basis for the call that 
the GC Chair and I have been consistently making – for work to continue on all fronts. You will recall 
that at the informal General Council meeting of 25 January, I informed delega tions that I would only 
convene a TNC/HoDs meeting once I had the sense that work was substantially advancing. I did not 
see a need for delegations to simply come and read out long prepared statements. Despite 
continuing consultations led by the Chairs of the rules and agriculture negotiations, my sense is that 
work in negotiating bodies has been advancing slowly since the postponement of MC12. Therefore, 
I did not think it necessary to convene a TNC/HoDs before this General Council. But with your 
permissio n, GC Chair, I would like at this point to request Ambassadors Wills and Peralta to briefly 
 
2 The Director -General's report was subsequently circulated in document JOB/GC/294.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  report to Members where they are.  
2.4.  Ambassador Santiago Wills (Colombia), Chair of the Negotiating Group on Rules , delivered the 
following statement:  
2.5.  As you are all aware, the last plenary session of the NGR was held on 15 February when I 
briefed delegations on the work I had undertaken since the start of the year, and outlined my 
suggestions for how we could proceed over the following few weeks. As you know, the draf t 
Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was sent to Ministers in November with the expectation that they 
would assess it, discuss it with their counterparts, and reach a decision on a final outcome at MC12. 
Although MC12 has not yet been held, the text remains on Ministers' desks. As such, there is work 
to be done to narrow the remaining differences as much as possible, so that when Ministers convene 
they have the fewest possible issues to resolve. With that objective in mind, I sent an e -mail to the 
NGR on 12 J anuary inviting interested delegations to bilateral consultations to discuss how to resume 
work.    
2.6.  In my consultations, I met with about 25 delegations and groups of delegations, bilaterally and 
in different formats, representing a broad spectrum of the M embership. As I informed the NGR at 
our meeting on 15 February, from these meetings I got the general sense that Members are 
interested in continuing work with the objective of concluding the negotiations on fisheries subsidies 
as soon as possible. Further more, many delegations noted the progress we achieved in the NGR last 
fall and considered that the draft Agreement that resulted from our work was a delicate balance 
across the broad range of views held by different Members on the different issues addresse d. They 
indicated that although the draft Agreement might not be ideal in all respects, it could form the basis 
for final discussion and decision making. In that respect, many delegations also considered that the 
focus of the work we do now, in the Negotia ting Group here in Geneva, should be on reducing 
differences, removing brackets, and simplifying options.  
2.7.  A number of issues were identified as potentially benefitting from further technical work to that 
end, even if the underlying political decisions in some cases would need to be referred to Ministers. 
To a large extent these issues relate to provisions in the draft Agreement that are already bracketed 
– such as those on territoriality, non -specific fuel subsidies, the alternatives for language on 
reflag ging, the reference to forced labour and, of particular importance for many, special and 
differential treatment. Members also noted that in dealing with these issues, we should avoid at all 
costs going backwards. Indeed, if Members genuinely share the goal  – as they have repeatedly said 
– of concluding these negotiations as soon as possible, we need to be careful about how we work, 
and should focus on cleaning up the text to reduce, rather than expand, the number of options and 
brackets it contains. Another  point that was clearly made by Members was that, given the many 
other issues that delegations have before them in the overall WTO agenda, the best way to proceed 
for now would be to work in small groups, with full transparency on that work so that there w ould 
be no surprises for any delegation. Not only did we have good results working this way last fall; 
doing so also would keep the demands of the fisheries subsidies work as light as possible on 
delegations' agendas. As I said, transparency is key – any w ork undertaken by small groups would 
have to be reported to the NGR as a whole, with all delegations having the opportunity to provide 
comments and suggestions.  
2.8.  In line with this approach, I have been holding a series of meetings with small groups of 
Membe rs for a technical discussion on the issue of territoriality. This issue is addressed by 
Article  11.3(b) of the draft Agreement. The substantive issues relating to territoriality are obviously 
highly sensitive and political. That said, all delegations share the same objective, namely, to ensure 
that a WTO panel does not make any finding that suggests or implies that any given WTO Member 
has jurisdiction over an area of the sea when one or more other Members also claim jurisdiction over 
the same area. This is the aim of the existing drafting in Article 11.3(b). Members' views continue 
to differ however,  over that provision in terms of whether the draft Agreement should contain any 
language at all on territoriality, and if it does, exactly what its wording should be. I found the 
exchange of views useful, and I thank the Members involved for their construc tive engagement. To 
continue the work on territoriality, I expect to continue to hold meetings in different configurations 
in the near future. Of course, I will report to the NGR on these activities shortly so that all Members 
will have the opportunity to hear about these discussions in more detail and contribute their views. 
After that, and bearing in mind the statements from many delegations that the fisheries subsidies 
negotiations should not overburden their agendas, I intend to move on to other importa nt issues, 
including special and differential treatment. I will keep Members informed as we proceed.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  2.9.  Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta (Costa Rica), Chair of the Committee on Agriculture in 
Special Session , delivered the following statement:  
2.10.   Since the beginning of the year, I have engaged in a series of intensive consultations with 
Members, including an open -ended CoA Special Session meeting on 24 January to reassess positions 
and explore with Members the best possible way forward. I will report in deta il on this process at 
the next CoA Special Session meeting scheduled on 7 -8 March 2022.  Let me share with you some 
preliminary take -aways.  Regarding the process forward, Members have expressed a shared 
willingness to make the best possible use of the time available and to re -engage seriously. On 
substance, many Members stressed that PSH is a topic in which a lot of work remains to be done. 
All the other topics -  Domestic Support in particular but also SSM, cotton, market access, 
transparency, export restri ctions and export competition – were also mentioned. With respect to 
PSH, the proponents have indicated their intention to work on a consolidated proposal and to engage 
directly with the non -proponents to search for a solution to this issue.  In this regar d, a two -month 
timeframe has been requested.  
2.11.   It was generally recognized that the negotiation process in the coming weeks should follow a 
pragmatic and tailored approach based on Members' initiatives and inputs and focused on the main 
outstanding issues. T his could include some technical work on issues requiring some clarification.  
Several Members noted that the current uncertainties regarding the date of MC12 had an impact on 
the negotiation process, and that the dynamics were likely to change once the dat e is fixed. The 
process forward should therefore remain agile and flexible that can be adjusted to the evolving 
conditions surrounding the negotiations.  Members also supported the continuation of negotiations 
in various formats, including representative an d balanced small groups meetings with clear 
objectives to complement and help prepare discussions in open -ended meetings.  The importance of 
transparency, inclusiveness and fairness was stressed in this context, including the need to report 
in a timely mann er on the various consultations at open -ended meetings and the need to have a 
work programme taking into consideration the constraints faced by small delegations and groups of 
members.  Finally, for many Members, one central question was how the agriculture  negotiations 
could effectively contribute to food security and poverty alleviation, and it was suggested in that 
regard that it would be useful to organize a side event in a near future on this issue.  
2.12.   The Director -General  delivered the following statement : 
2.13.   Let me thank both chairs for their efforts and hard work. As you have just heard, technical 
work has continued both on fisheries subsidies and agriculture. However, we need to make more 
progress.  
2.14.   On Fisheries, significant progress was made last year in the lead up to MC12 as Ambassador 
Wills said. As a result of that work a draft text was sent to Ministers as a basis for finalizing the 
remaining gaps. Since then, there have been some indications that we may risk backsliding on some 
matters where we had a lready achieved significant convergence. What we need instead of positions 
re-hardening is for all Members now to genuinely show the maximum flexibility so that we can finally 
get to the finish line. This is ever more urgent as world fish stocks continue t o be depleted, with 
50% of stocks currently being overfished by some estimates.  What we need now to finally finish 
these negotiations is a full return to the "can -do" spirit that you all showed in November, just a 
couple of months ago. I think we can get t here because all Ministers that I have spoken to feel that 
this is one negotiation that we can and must complete. And I am encouraged by Santiago's report 
on how Members have re -engaged recently.  I am afraid that if we miss the boat, we will continue to 
paint the picture that we cannot do it or we struggle to deliver. We came very close in November – 
now let's finish this.  
2.15.   On agriculture, time is short, and every single day should be used to explore ways to narrow 
gaps and find potential landing zones. I am  encouraged by Members' commitment to engage with 
each other, including first and foremost on public stockholding (PSH) and Domestic Support. On PSH 
in particular, we need to find a solution that strikes a careful balance between the food security and 
other concerns of the proponents and the concerns of the non -proponents. Once again, the critical 
importance of agriculture cannot be overstated for many Members. We therefore must find clarity 
on the direction forward in these negotiations, which are now as o ld as this century . I really hope 
that the reconvening of MC12 will reignite the momentum needed to build on the enormous amount 
of work done and quickly deliver for all our people who are expecting it from us.   WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  2.16.   In the other negotiating areas, such as spec ial and differential treatment, while there is 
nothing new to report, I encourage delegations to work with the respective Chairs to find ways to 
progress.   
2.17.    While we have specific agenda items on the TRIPS Waiver and the Pandemic Response, I 
would like to  briefly highlight a few points. First, while I know that we will get to an MC12 date, this 
is one area that cannot wait. We should deliver now when a solution is still needed, and our 
contribution is still relevant. So, let me re -emphasize that we should not wait for MC12, whatever 
date we would agree on, to deliver our pandemic response. We are already late.  In this regard, I 
would like to appeal to delegations to be ready on both fronts. After all, you all agree that a WTO 
response to this and future pan demics has to be a comprehensive and balanced package made up 
of IP and trade and health related aspects. I commend the GC Chair for his efforts in reinvigorating 
the process under the General Council and I look forward to hearing his report.  
2.18.    Yesterday, you heard each other at the TRIPS Council. DDG Gonzalez and I are also doing 
our best by facilitating a process in a Small Group format of Members to assist in reaching a genuine 
workable compromise. And I want to thank the TRIPS Council Chair for his forb earance on this issue. 
As DDG Gonzalez mentioned at the TRIPS Council, this isn't easy, but we intend to continue pushing 
to get a basis on which the Membership can build something. Believe me, on TRIPS, I hear you. I 
want to repeat. There is no attempt to  forget or neglect Members or not involve them or be non -
transparent. Any framework we put together will be brought to the TRIPS Council under Ambassador 
Sørli 's Chairmanship and to you for work.  What is evident is the distance we have to bridge in both 
processes. We are still quite far apart. If everyone is serious about delivering a comprehensive 
package, I encourage you to put your words into action. Focus on what is truly essential and 
participate in convergence building by exercising the requisite fle xibility and pragmatism.  
2.19.    To complement these discussions, I have been reaching out to Heads of State and Ministers, 
including at last week's AU -EU Summit in Brussels. The WHO and WTO were put on a panel on 
vaccine manufacturing and IP issues co -chaired b y the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Belgian 
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Paul 
Kagame of Rwanda.  It was not an easy session, and the positions of proponents and opponents were 
very clear and did not change very much. But what was very good for the WTO was the support 
from Leaders for us to find a workable compromise on IP. This language is reflected in the 
communiqué which I invite all of you to read. I am grateful to AU and EU Heads of State for their 
trust in the WTO and this is why it is important to push hard to find a solution.  During the Summit, 
it was announced that six African countries would be recipients of technology from the WHO's global 
mRNA vaccine hubs. BioNTech modular vaccine m anufacturing plants will also be set up in several 
African countries with EU financing of 1 billion dollars of which half a billion is already mobilized 
through the European Investment Bank. Many thanks to the EU for this support and this effort.  I 
have al so been meeting regularly with Dr. Tedros and Mr. Daren Tang in continuation of our tripartite 
multilateral cooperation with the WHO and WIPO to discuss assistance to our Members on capacity 
building and pandemic related IP, trade and health issues. So, le t us build on these positive 
developments and use them to provide the requisite impetus to conclude our discussions in Geneva.  
2.20.    WTO Reform remains another priority for delegations. For Members to move forward, we 
require a candid discussion, at the appropr iate time, on your expectations about what WTO Reform 
means. We must not fail to capture the work done in the outcome document – which I hope will not 
be discarded.  Excellencies, we have positioned the WTO and trade as part of the solution to today's 
problems of the global commons – be it the pandemic, climate change or sustainability issues. As a 
result, the organization is now much sought after as stakeholders seek the WTO's inputs and 
contributions on various issues.  
2.21.   In this regard, since we last met in  this format I was invited to participate in several 
conferences in addition to the AU -EU summit. These included a gathering organized in Paris by the 
French EU Presidency titled "For a more sustainable and responsible trade", the EU Trade Ministers 
Meetin g in Marseille and the Munich Security Conference where, together with the Heads of the IMF, 
World Bank, UNDP and others, we discussed international cooperation on post -pandemic recovery 
and putting the Sustainable Development Goals back on track, and the role of the WTO and trade in 
this. These discussions, often at the highest political level, illustrate our potential relevance to the 
world. That is why it is important to deliver on the issues before us, because we have a much more 
work awaiting us in the  near future. There are many things that the WTO can do. Let us remember 
that we are starting to change the narrative around this organization and we should continue in that WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  direction. In this regard, I want to thank all of you – the Members – for your con tributions. And I 
hope that today will give us the certainty of MC12 that we are looking for to organize our work. In 
this regard, I want to thank the GC Chair for this morning's Informal meeting. The emerging 
consensus is useful. I hope we can gavel very soon the MC12 date because this will allow us to plan 
on how to involve our Ministers to help solve the remaining gaps and bless any outcome of the 
efforts that we make.  
2.22.   The end of this month will mark one year since I took office. It has not been easy, an d it is 
hard to believe that twelve months have gone by. Let me at this point, acknowledge the amount of 
work that you have done since then. Although I am conscious of the amount we have not done, I 
still think we have put forward some important pieces of work. From all the GC and TNC issues 
including the successful Virtual Ministerial Meeting in June to the Secretariat's very valuable work 
on vaccines and supply chain problems, this is something that we are very grateful that we are able 
to make very impor tant strides in these past twelve months.  
2.23.   With regard to vaccines, let me inform you that, on 9 March, we will continue our meetings 
with CEOs of vaccine manufacturing companies and will engage with them on the outstanding issues 
with respect to the produc tion and distribution of vaccines and the challenges thereof. We will also 
have a supply chain conference where Members will engage with CEOs of ports and logistics 
companies to better understand what we can do to ease supply and facilitate better distribu tion. 
2.24.   Lastly, I have been invited to speak to Central Bank Governors. These include the European 
Central Bank Board, the Bank for International Settlements, and the Governors of African Central 
Banks. This is good for the WTO. Central Banks are looking to the WTO to inform them about what 
will happen to supply chains so that they can better understand their role in inflationary pressures. 
I think if we do this well, we will have mapped out another contribution as the WTO.  
2.25.   While I hoped that by my one -year a nniversary we would have had a few deliverables, I 
believe we are close. We have done a lot and we can deliver more – even if it will take two or three 
months more.  So, as I celebrate my one -year anniversary as Director -General and TNC Chair, let 
me make o ne wish to all of you. In all of the areas that you consider urgent and important, let us 
act and deliver soon. We should use our time wisely and proceed in a business -like manner. I urge 
delegations to have more focused discussions amongst yourselves and with respective chairs, 
instead of repeating well -known positions.  
2.26.   Before concluding, let me briefly report on the Strategic Review of the WTO Secretariat and 
on the Presidential Lecture Series. On the Secretariat Strategic Review, I have provided nearly s ix 
briefings to delegations since its inception – with the most recent being at the 11 February CBFA 
meeting. I noted that, based on the recommendations from the review facilitated by McKinsey last 
year – in which all of you had the opportunity to particip ate – we launched the process of 
strengthening the Secretariat. To begin this implementation stage, we have already established a 
Transformation Unit to oversee the process. We have shared a summary of the timelines, the 
modalities, and the areas that we w ould focus on in this process. We will start with defining reward 
schemes outside of promotions (talent management), improving risk management process (ways of 
working), and improving procurement process (ways of working).  
2.27.    With regard to the methodology f or each area, there is a technical expert group composed 
of staff who are to come up with the solutions and, alongside them, an ad hoc voluntary group also 
composed of staff to ensure that the solutions proposed are fit for purpose. I hope that staff worki ng 
with the Transformation Unit and McKinsey can come up with answers to solve the challenges 
identified during the strategic review.  I would also like to point out that there are potential missing 
areas – for instance, we do not have a Secretariat strateg y and vision, nor do we have specific Units 
dedicated to these. We are also thinking of a crosscutting country and regional unit based in one of 
the current divisions.  
2.28.   One final update I would like to provide on the Secretariat is with regard to the depar ture of 
senior staff in the Languages and Documentation, Human Resources, Council -TNC, Economic 
Research and Media Divisions and the WTO Medical doctor. These departures arising from 
termination of contracts and retirements are taking place in a staggered manner until the summer.  
As delegations will recall, I provided a briefing about this matter at the informal General Council on 
25 January so that Members are aware of these movements and there are no surprises. I wish to WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  inform you that we have begun to p ut in place steps to fill in the vacancies as and when the 
departures take place. You will soon see the advertisements come out.  Let me again stress that the 
Secretariat Strategic Review process is solely designed to strengthen the Secretariat so that we c an 
better serve all Members. This will not, in any way, affect the composition of WTO Councils and 
Committees nor alter Members' rights and obligations.  
2.29.   We are also launching a Presidential Lecture Series. I think it is important to bring in different 
viewpoints of policymakers and liven up the place. This is as an established best practice. The 
Presidential Lecture Series would be an occasion for Heads of State and Government to discuss 
global issues including on trade -related matters. It will also enable  us to interact with the broader 
public, that is, outside the trade community, who have done things or have world views which are 
interesting to share. Rest assured that there are no incremental cost implications for this.  
2.30.   The Chair  noted that the report by the Director -General, in her capacity as TNC Chair, and 
the reports by the Chairs of the Negotiatin g Group on Rules and the Committee on Agriculture in 
Special Session  would be circulated in the JOB/TNC – series. He did not expect a long discussion 
under the Item and, as the Director -General ha d just noted, he would rather encourage delegations 
to engage intensively and constructively in the respective ongoing processes and work together 
towards concrete outcomes.  
2.31.   The representative of Barbados , on behal f of CARICOM , delivered the following statement:  
2.32.   The CARICOM Group thanks the Director -General for the update on her activities. Our Group 
is particularly pleased to have met with her and had the opportunity to share our views on the way 
forward for the WT O. We also thank the Chairs of negotiating bodies for the reports on their 
respective areas. We recognize that progress has been uneven within and across the various areas 
where negotiations are actively taking place, and in some instances we have lost som e momentum 
since December. We nonetheless think that there is a genuine willingness among the Membership 
to intensify work on a handful of issues that could realistically garner consensus in the short -run. 
Specifically on the fisheries subsidies negotiatio ns, we would have joined the consensus on shifting 
modalities towards small group discussions on the various aspects of the draft text. We look forward 
to the CARICOM Group's engagement in small group discussions that are of core interest to us. Our 
views on some issues are more nuanced than the wider configurations of which we may be a part, 
and therefore merit inclusion in some, not all, small group discussions – namely, on special and 
differential treatment, territoriality, due process, notifications and  transparency and non -specific 
fuel-subsidies. Pragmatism coupled with openness, inclusiveness and transparency are core tenets 
necessary for the delivery of outcomes under the negotiating pillar. We look forward to engaging 
with other Members on what can be achieved in the near -run as well as what must be set aside for 
post-MC12 work.  
2.33.   Speaking on behalf of Barbados , I want to echo and endorse the statement on the need for 
us to collectively come to a solution on the response to the pandemic. This is of major concern and 
a priority for Barbados. We simply need to get it done. History will judge not only this institution 
harshly, but any Member or Members who at a time of arguably the worst global pandemic in the 
last century, did not find it fit to come t o a level of consensus on such a critical matter.  
2.34.   The representative of Switzerland  delivered the following statement:  
2.35.   I would like to give a brief summary of the Informal Ministerial Gathering on WTO issues 
hosted by the Swiss Government on 21 January, in  virtual format. The aim of the informal meeting 
was to discuss the next steps after the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference, which was postponed 
last December due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Further topics included the current challenges in the 
relationship between international trade and health, the reduction of fisheries subsidies, the reform 
of agricultural trade policy and the strengthening of the rules -based multilateral trading system in 
the medium -term. The Informal WTO Ministerial Gathering was attend ed by Ministers and high 
officials from 28 Members representing a broad spectrum of the WTO membership, including the 
coordinators of the LDC Group, the African Group, and the ACP Group. At the end of the meeting, 
the Chair, Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department for Economic Affairs, Education 
and Research, H.E. Mr. Guy Parmelin, read out his personal concluding remarks in which he 
summarized his impressions from the discussions. For the information of the wider membership and 
in the interes t of time, I will send the full text to the Secretariat. These personal concluding remarks WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  – made under the Chair's own responsibility – have also been published on the website of the Swiss 
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) as well as on the WT O's website. And I would like to 
indicate that we do not intend to hold a similar event in the fringes of the WEF meeting that will take 
place in Davos on 22 -26 May.  
2.36.   The representative of Morocco , speaking to agenda item 5 , delivered  the following statemen t:  
2.37.   I would like to inform the General Council that, after consultations with the members of the 
Arab Group, the Group has lifted its reservations on the proposed date for holding MC12. The Arab 
Group joins the consensus.  
2.38.   The representative of Panama , on behalf of GRULAC,  delivered the following statement:  
2.39.   Given that this is my first statement in that capacity, I would like firstly to convey our warmest 
wishes for success to those Ambassadors who are leaving us and to welcome those who are joining 
us as new colleagues. We reiterate our commitment as Latin American and Caribbean countries to 
continue working towards predictable, transparent, non -discriminatory and rules -based multilateral 
trading system with development as its key pillar and we thank the D irector -General and the Chairs 
of the Negotiating Groups for their reports. We would like to stress the importance of the WTO, the 
pivotal organization of the multilateral trading system, as a forum in which to reduce barriers to 
international trade and co ntribute to economic growth. GRULAC views that it is important to continue 
with sustained work in the negotiations that we have before us. We need to show flexibility and we 
need to focus on the goal of moving forward with our negotiations. We also reitera te, as a Group, 
our commitment to the work of Ambassador Wills to conclude the negotiations on fisheries subsidies 
and we reiterate our support for Ambassador Abraham Peralta in striving for a significant outcome 
on agriculture at MC12. We call upon all Me mbers to contribute to balanced proposals with a view 
to a successful MC12.  
2.40.   The representative of Argentina  delivered the following statement:  
2.41.   We thank Ambassador Wills for his report and his efforts to forge consensus on the 
negotiations. Argentina will c ontinue working towards an ambitious agreement that has concrete 
effects on the oceans and their resources. We reiterate the special need for efforts to eliminate 
subsidies to large fleets operating on the high seas, and especially in distant waters, while  
underscoring the value of artisanal fishing communities. Over the past four years, we have worked 
towards an ambitious agreement. We will continue to deploy all our efforts to eliminate all state 
subsidies that contribute to illegal fishing practices and prohibit subsidies that affect overfished 
stocks and those that contribute to overcapacity. We call on all Members concerned about the current 
state of the marine ecosystem to reach an agreement to meet our commitments under the 2030 
Agenda. We also thank Ambassador Abraham Peralta for her leadership in the agriculture 
negotiations.  We believe that we must continue working to achieve an ambitious, realistic and 
balanced outcome during MC12 that would help bring about the agricultural reform that we have 
been working on for more than 25 years. We wish to make it clear that we cannot however endorse 
final outcomes on certain issues if on others which we consider to be priorities such as domestic 
support we only adopt mere work programmes.  
2.42.   The representative of  Mexico  delivered the following statement:  
2.43.   I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new colleagues joining us in this 
organization as well as bid farewell to the Ambassador of Fiji and wish her every success in her new 
post. I would like to th ank Mr. Victor Do Prado. We have always, in the Mexican delegation, had an 
excellent relationship with him. He has made valuable contributions to the WTO and the multilateral 
trading system He is a Mexican in our eyes. It is very difficult, in an organizat ion as big as this, for 
a single individual to make such a mark and yet Victor has achieved that over his time at the WTO 
and we wish him every success in his new role. We will, of course, miss him a great deal. I would 
also like to thank the Director -General and the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups for their reports 
and assessments of the current situation. In particular, I would like to thank the Director -General 
for her sustained work at the helm of this organization over the course of her first year. We  are 
convinced that we must be flexible and open -minded if we want a significant outcome at the next 
Ministerial Conference. We also need to identify those issues which are outside of the technical remits 
and on which we will clearly not achieve an agreeme nt on in Geneva. Let us not wait until the last WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  minute before identifying areas that would jeopardize successful outcomes at MC12. The work that 
the Director -General and others have invested in the TRIPS Waiver should be applied now to the 
areas that the C hairs of the Negotiating Groups identify as needing to be dealt with on that level. 
We should not threaten the ability that we have to achieve outcomes on certain issues by waiting 
until the final days of MC12. We really need to ensure that this Ministeria l Conference enables the 
WTO to be once again at the heart of the scene where international trade is concerned.  
2.44.   The representative of Antigua and Barbuda , on behalf of the OECS , delivered the following 
statement:  
2.45.   We align ourselves with the statement made  by the CARICOM Group. We are grateful to the 
Director -General for her reports. We take this opportunity to renew our commitment to successful 
multilateralism. We in the OECS have been consistent in raising our collective voices to support a 
balanced, deve lopment -oriented, inclusive and transparent multilateral trading system. As small, 
vulnerable and open economies, international trade plays an outsized role as a contribution to our 
GDP. We therefore rely heavily on the predictability and fairness of the m ultilateral trading system 
without which we will be subject to the vagaries of a system without rules and principles. It is in this 
context that we continue to urge all Members to prioritize flexibility and trust in our negotiations, 
especially as we work towards delivering concrete and meaningful outcomes at the long -awaited and 
often deferred MC12. We have looked on with dismay at the ongoing bottlenecks in important 
negotiations such as fisheries subsidies and agriculture. Our Small Island Developing Sta tes and 
small developing countries, no matter the nomenclature, it sometimes appears that our concerns 
are not taken seriously by others. As one of our Caribbean Leaders have said a few years ago in 
Geneva, "for too many we are invisible and that is of con cern". We quote from this Caribbean 
Champion again and say that "even if for many we are invisible, we are not dispensable". It is against 
this backdrop that we urge Members to give careful and constructive consideration to our concerns 
across the various negotiations including appropriate and effective S&DT in fisheries, including with 
respect to unacceptable de minimis  threshold and artisanal carveout and a rebalancing of the 
agriculture text to take account of the issues of interest to us which have been  consistently and 
adequately represented through the ACP Group. In closing, we all have a stake in multilateralism. 
We are its collective owners. It is our duty to ensure that it works for the benefit of all.  
2.46.   The representative of  the European Union  delive red the following statement:  
2.47.   It is critical for the credibility and future of the WTO that the organization is responsive and 
delivers on all four key items of the MC12 agenda. There has unfortunately been a lack of momentum 
since the postponement of MC12 and there are still wide gaps in Members' positions especially on 
IP/Trade & Health, fisheries and agriculture. It is clear that a Ministerial meeting must take place in 
June covering the four issues. We fully support the statement that will be delivered l ater by 
Switzerland under agenda item 10 on "Immediate Action to Support the Multilateral Trading System 
in preparation for a successful MC12" which is co -sponsored by 46 Members including the EU. We 
hope all Members will be in a position to subscribe to i t. It is important that, at this key juncture for 
our multilateral trading system and in this challenging and uncertain context, we pass a clear 
message and united political message that we support an ambitious MC12 that delivers on the four 
key areas of T rade and Health including IP, WTO Reform, Fisheries; and Agriculture. We trust that 
setting a date for MC12 later today will provide the necessary impetus to resume our work on the 
substantive issues. We welcome the readiness of the Director -General and of  the Chairs of the 
General Council, Committee on Agriculture in Special Session and Negotiating Group on Rules to 
hold consultations and engage with Members to maintain momentum across their respective areas. 
A lot of useful work has been done on the four main multilateral topics and this work should be 
preserved and relied on as a basis going forward. Intense engagement in different configurations 
will be important in the coming months to focus minds and pave the ground for MC12. Only with the 
strong polit ical involvement of all Members can we hope to reach outcomes on each of these complex 
and important files.  
2.48.   The representative of Uruguay  delivered the following statement:  
2.49.   In my capacity as Coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs, I would like to inform 
you that three new Members – Georgia, the Gambia and Macao, China – have recently joined the 
MSMEs Group bringing the total number of Members to 94. I am also happy to report that 100 
delegations are now sponsoring the MSME Declaration. We invite  all WTO Members to consider 
sponsoring it. Our priorities for this year are: (i) continued implementation of the December 2020 WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  MSME package, and (ii) further development of the Trade4MSMEs platform launched in December, 
in particular with the addition of regional and national pages. Members have also expressed an 
interest in continuing discussions on cyber readiness, low value shipments, and RTAs, and in starting 
work on sustainability standards. I commend all Members to come on board and bring your ideas to 
help MSMEs in international trade.  
2.50.   The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
2.51.   The Director -General spoke eloquently about her first year and about our ability to contribute 
to the global commons. That contribution is not just abo ut opportunity. It is a responsibility. If we 
cannot make progress on pandemic response, we will be judged harshly. We need to be part of the 
solution on global climate and sustainability. If we are to arrive at the Lisbon Oceans Summit without 
an outcome,  we will be judged harshly. If we cannot make a contribution on food security, we will 
be judged harshly. We have an important window of opportunity to act in support of the global 
commons, but also of the very notion of multilateral rulemaking. To ensure we can rise to the 
occasion, we must prepare the ground adequately. We must get the run -up right and ensure we 
have the proper preparatory processes in place. We must narrow the scope of issues before Ministers 
and that means work at Senior Officials level , at HODs level and at Ministerial level to narrow the 
field for Ministers at MC12. There are very deep gaps remaining. The very number of issues we have 
must be whittled down. We need to not only bring together configurations but also do so in a steady 
and determined way in the same manner as in TRIPS and Public Health. We must think about how 
we can take advantage of our Ministers in advancing discussions in agriculture and fisheries. Setting 
a date for MC12 is an important step but it is not sufficient t o guarantee a successful Conference.  
2.52.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
2.53.   As this is the first time Indonesia takes the floor, let me first say on behalf of my Permanent 
Representative, H.E. Mr. Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard , his sincere appreciation for the warm welcome 
by the General Council. I would like to convey his deepest regrets for not being able to attend this 
General Council session this morning due to unavoidable engagement. I also welcome the arrival of 
new colleag ues and bid farewell to those who will be leaving us and wish you all the best. Let me 
take this opportunity as well to convey Indonesia's sincere appreciation to Mr. Victor Do Prado. 
Indonesia remembers his exceptional contribution not only to this organi zation but also during the 
preparation and hosting of the MC9 in Bali. Your exceptional work and support will always be 
remembered. We wish you all the best on your new endeavours. On this agenda item, I would like 
to begin by thanking the Director -General  for her comprehensive report on the current state of play 
of the negotiations in the WTO. Our delegation would like to appreciate her tireless efforts and 
commitment in advancing the progress of negotiations towards a successful Ministerial Conference. 
While I will enter into each of the specific topics of our negotiations, I would like to reiterate that it 
is Indonesia's view that the WTO is long overdue for an outcome that would address the pandemic 
as well as the grave impact it has had towards the deve loping Members' economy. Furthermore, it 
is also the responsibility of the Members to fulfil our collective commitment to put developmental 
issues at the heart of this organization to concrete and meaningful outcomes for development at 
MC12. In this regard , let me start with the WTO response to the pandemic, including the TRIPS 
Waiver. Indonesia appreciates the effort made by the Chair of the General Council on the WTO 
response to the pandemic. This is an issue that needs to be concluded soon if we want an outcome 
that is still relevant regardless of the dates of MC12. For such an outcome to be meaningful, it needs 
to be balanced and holistic which can only be achieved through a conclusion of the TRIPS Waiver.  
2.54.   On agriculture, Indonesia continues to reiterate  the need to deliver on this critical mandated 
issue at the Ministerial Conference. A permanent solution on PSH and a strong, operable Work 
Programme on SSM remains Indonesia's priority outcomes at MC12. G -33 Members have explored 
many options for a perman ent solution on PSH and we want to continuously reaffirm our position on 
this. The January proposal on PSH serves as a policy space instrument to address food security for 
the majority of developing Members. We should not move backwards from the Bali inter im solution . 
We should rather move forward. Nevertheless, at this point, I would like to clarify that PSH 
proponents have never requested for the two -month target deadline that is currently being 
discussed. However, we intend to work expeditiously on this and intensify our engagement with non -
proponents in the coming weeks and months leading up to MC12. Moreover, I would like to remind 
the Membership that we almost achieved a permanent solution in Bali. As such more work is needed 
in other pillars of agricu lture negotiations. On fisheries subsidies, we are of the view that the 
disciplines should not only touch upon trade issues but also take into account the livelihood of people, WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  especially of poor, small -scale and artisanal fishermen. Indonesia deeply belie ves that S&DT needs 
to be an integral part of the fisheries subsidies negotiations mandate. Let me assure you, Chair and 
colleagues, that Indonesia is fully committed to engage with all Members on this matter. As such, 
let me once again reiterate Indonesia 's readiness to engage constructively with all Members and 
work towards a successful MC12 in June.  
2.55.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
2.56.   South Africa takes this opportunity to join others in welcoming new Permanent 
Represent atives and bidding farewell to departing colleagues. We also express our appreciation for 
the dedication and contribution of Mr. Victor Do Prado to the multilateral trading system during his 
long service as a WTO Secretariat and wish him well in his future  endeavours. We would like to 
thank the Director -General and the Chairs of the Negotiating Group on Rules and the Committee on 
Agriculture in Special Session for their reports and updates. South Africa believes that an urgent 
priority for the WTO should be  the WTO response to the pandemic, with the TRIPS Waiver integral 
to the outcome. We are disappointed that 16 months after we submitted the TRIPS Waiver proposal, 
the WTO is yet to agree to a credible solution towards diversification of production in devel oping 
countries. Exclusive rights are resulting in concentration of production and are hampering efforts to 
diversify localities of production. This has exacerbated vaccine inequity. We remain ready to work 
with Members to find a workable solution that wil l contribute to ramping up manufacturing in 
developing countries. We agree with the Director -General that an outcome on the WTO response to 
the pandemic with a TRIPS Waiver is long overdue and should not wait for MC12.  
2.57.   On agriculture, we need to find a pa ckage that sets us on a shared objective of enhancing 
food security and livelihoods. We need to identify a realistic package that delivers  meaningful 
progress on agricultural reform and sets a path for negotiations. It must address historical 
imbalances in  domestic support concentration and preserve policy space to support resource -poor 
and low -income farmers through Article 6.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture. Our priorities remain 
domestic support, PSH, SSM as well as Cotton. A decision on WFP is possible  if the ACP and the 
African Group's proposal were to be taken into account. We underscore that S&DT must be integral 
to any outcome on agriculture. On the fisheries subsidies negotiations, we need to work towards a 
balanced text that is aligned to the mand ate and must provide appropriate S&DT. The flexibility 
provided to big subsidizes under the sustainability approach are extraordinarily wide. We need to 
conclude negotiations on an appropriate level of de minimis so as to give sufficient policy space to 
small fishing nations and sufficient policy space for developing countries above de minimis. The 
agreement must safeguard food security and livelihoods for artisanal and subsistence fisheries. S&DT 
is mandated and cannot be narrow in application. The discipl ines must target large -scale fishing and 
distant water fishing. Importantly, the big subsidizers must take responsibility based on the principle 
of common but differentiated responsibilities. The TNC remains an important forum within its 
mandate to take fo rward the DDA issues. We would like to associate ourselves with the statement 
to be delivered by the African Group and the ACP Group in this regard.  
2.58.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
2.59.   I warmly welcome our new colleagues who are just joining us especially those from the Pacific 
region. We also thank and acknowledge the departing colleagues and wish them all the best. I make 
this statement on behalf of the Pacific Group. We align ourselves with st atements made by the ACP 
Group. We thank the Director -General and the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups for their reports and 
their efforts in assisting Members to advance the negotiations to prepare for MC12. We continue to 
place priority on the fisheries subsidies agreement, on the pandemic response and on agriculture. 
On fisheries subsidies, the Pacific Group is committed to delivering a meaningful agreement that 
tackles harmful subsidies – not fisheries management, and also provide policy space to develo ping 
countries that have little to no fishing capacity. We commend the Chairs for their work. We need to 
prioritize work on resolving S&DT and address the balance within Article 5.1.1 addressing 
transparency and a few crosscutting issues, such as licensing . We must progress work on a 
framework that can garner consensus taking into account the development interests of developing 
countries.  
 WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  2.60.   The representative of Mauritius  delivered the following statement:  
2.61.   Let me first bid farewell and wish Ambassador Nazhat  Shameem Khan  of Fiji all the best as 
she goes forward to The Hague, to the International Criminal Court. I also want to applaud Mr. Victor 
do Prado for the contribution he has made to this house and wish him well as he goes forward again 
in his new endeav ours. We welcome new colleagues and look forward to meeting them soon. We 
also welcome the establishment of a Working Party for Turkmenistan and we assure them of our 
support in the Accession Process. We salute the efforts by the Chairs of the fisheries an d agriculture 
negotiations in finding solutions and a balanced package in both negotiations. We know it is not easy 
but we will continue to work with them to address all issues on the table and would only urge that 
we do not leave any issue for the last mi nute. We do not have a lot of time ahead of us and I think 
it might be good that we address upfront many issues which are still pending such as S&DT. I add 
my voice to that of the Ambassador of Barbados and that of the Ambassador of the OECS countries 
for a comprehensive and early response to the pandemic. We would be happy for an outcome on 
this to coincide with the first -year anniversary of Dr.  Ngozi's directorship in recognition of her 
leadership role on the issue. As many colleagues have said before me,  we would indeed be judged 
harshly if we could not provide a response. Let me recall that while all the many liberal measures 
are being adopted, the pandemic is still very much going on. Recently, the World Health Organization 
indicated that the rate of sp read in Africa may be seven times higher than it is actually recorded. A 
response from the WTO cannot be missing. In this context, we welcome the support extended at the 
AU-EU Summit to African countries for manufacturing of vaccines. But we know that for the six 
countries and for many others this is just a first step. Finding flexibilities and workable solution is 
what is required in such an initiative. This being said, we look forward to your announcement on 
agenda item 5 and to working with all Members f or a successful MC12.  
2.62.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
2.63.   Director -General, the African Group wishes to thank you for your report on the negotiations 
within the organization and we welcome the efforts made by the various Chairs in their 
responsibilities. It is quite clear that in one year we have seen that your determination brought new 
life to this organization and had a positive impact on all of our work. You can be assured of the 
continued su pport of the African Group and our delegation in this regard. It is important for us, 
Director -General, to conclude negotiations as quickly as possible so that we can adopt outcomes at 
MC12. I can assure you that, as usual, the African Group will approach this with a determination to 
reach fair and balanced outcomes according to a transparent procedure that will respect our 
mandate. I want to focus on two issues because the other issues concerning the response to the 
pandemic and TRIPS would be dealt with i n the course of the agenda. So, we are going to just focus 
on fisheries and agriculture at this point. On fisheries, as we heard from the NGR Chair, the text 
submitted for our consideration contains a very fragile balance. As other delegations have said, i t 
means that we have reservations about its genuine impact overtime because of the concessions that 
have been given to the main stakeholders. That is why we say that reaching a conclusion and an 
outcome must take into account the principle of shared but di fferentiated responsibilities and the 
outstanding issues, as the Chair has mentioned. Connected to whether nonspecific fuel subsidies, 
S&DT, sovereignty, which is linked to territoriality issues, subsidies to overfished stocks and other 
issues of which sti ll require clarification must be dealt with in a very transparent way. We are 
prepared to engage in this work according to the modalities sketched out by the NGR Chair. We 
hope that we will be able to get a comprehensive Work Programme shared so that deleg ations and 
capitals are considered. This will in turn facilitate concluding these negotiations.  
2.64.   On agriculture, the African Group has legitimate expectations that have been on the table for 
a long time and expectations that have not been met because of ot her parties. We are concerned 
by the continued domestic support that prevents our products from getting access to markets under, 
very frankly, the philosophical basis of liberal economies advocated by this organization based on 
the principle of comparative  advantage. This means that different actors must be able to sell the 
products that they have a comparative advantage in and clearly domestic support distorts that 
balance. This has been proven on a number of occasions. That is why we are open to continuin g the 
current discussions. We ought to get a Work Programme focusing on the priorities because priorities 
must be established according to what has already been said. There is a clear principle and that is 
no AMS above de minimis and that must be the first  trust-building measure if we are to have a 
serene dialogue. As we have also said, we know about public stockholding and, of course, we need 
to discuss that without any a priori. That will enable us to get to an outcome without prejudice and WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  provide a spac e for an open discussion. Chair and Director -General, we count on your experience 
and your dynamism. As we work towards achieving positive outcomes, the African Group hopes that 
those outcomes will be able to strengthen multilateralism and bring new life t o this organization.  
2.65.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
2.66.   At the outset, we associate ourselves with the statement delivered by the African Group and 
the one that will be delivered on behalf of the ACP Group. I also join others in welcoming the new 
Permanent Representatives and to wish farewell to those who are l eaving. I thank Mr. Victor do 
Prado for the contribution he has made to this organization and to the multilateral trading system 
and of course to our delegation as well. We have noted in the report by the Director -General the 
state of play in the negotiati ons and the steps to be taken in order to reach convergence with a view 
to seeing or having a fruitful outcome at MC12. In particular, we took note of two things. One is the 
need to conclude discussions on the negotiations on the WTO Response to the Pandem ic before 
MC12 – considering the fact that any further delay in taking a decision on this matter could be too 
late. So, it is ideal that we concentrate on that to deliver before MC12. We also noted the call for 
Members to show some flexibilities because wi thout flexibilities there is no way we can reach 
convergence to the extent of expecting a fruitful outcome. So, now that the situation from the report 
of the Swiss authority has proven that there is a level of certainty – taking into account Members' 
views  – on setting a date for reconvening MC12, we must therefore be committed to show those 
flexibilities so that we can reach some convergence in all areas especially the priority ones such as 
agriculture, fisheries, WTO reform, trade and development and so o n. This is the only way we can 
have fruitful outcomes at MC12. Nigeria remains committed and fully engaged to ensure that we 
address all outstanding issues ahead of MC12. We must ensure that MC12 could not only be a fruitful 
event but also yield fruitful o utcomes.  
2.67.   The representative of Peru delivered the following statement:  
2.68.   We thank the Director -General for her report. We celebrate the first anniversary of the Head 
of this organization and recognize her tremendous efforts in moving forward the WTO's agenda . As 
a Member of GRULAC, allow me to echo the remarks made by our Group Coordinator. I welcome the 
new Permanent Representatives joining us at the organization and I wish them every success. I also 
bid farewell to those who are departing and wish them all the best. I reiterate the importance of the 
process that we have undertaken to respond to the pandemic – a negotiation that, in spite of our 
hard work, has yet to reach a successful conclusion. On the fisheries subsidies negotiations, we are 
grateful that Ambassador Wills has taken up these negotiations again. We agree with him that parts 
of the text still have room for technical work to be done in Geneva. We sincerely hope that 
establishing a date for MC12 as quickly as possible will give us the push we ne ed to bridge the 
remaining gaps in these negotiations. On agriculture, we thank Ambassador Abraham Peralta for her 
excellent work and for her recent consultations in sketching the path forward towards the next 
Ministerial Conference. We agree with her that  we need to maintain the momentum built before the 
postponement of MC12 including by working on the basis of the latest text as a starting point. Peru 
believes that it is urgent to set up a Work Programme as quickly as possible. We also trust that 
Members would exercise the requisite flexibility so that we can already agree on the MC12 date.  
2.69.   The representative of Thailand  delivered the following statement:  
2.70.   I bid farewell to our departing Permanent Representatives and welcome new ones. I also bid 
farewell t o Mr. Victor Do Prado who has been an important contributor to this organization. I welcome 
Turkmenistan in its bid to accede to the WTO and hope it would be successful in this process. So 
many countries have taken 8, 9 or 10 years. I hope that it will not  be the case for Turkmenistan. 
We will be happy to help in whatever way we can. I also thank the Director -General and the Chairs 
of the NGR and CoA SS for their reports. For the Director -General, even though she expresses her 
disappointment in her achievem ents during her first year in office, from Thailand's point of view, she 
has been doing a great job. It always starts with one small step – which leads to a bigger outcome 
in the future. So, whatever we hope the Director -General will continue in her effort s in making 
changes to the WTO as well as in helping Members in our negotiations particularly on vaccines and 
other areas. Fisheries subsidies and agriculture are two areas that need special mention because 
they are part of the multilateral rulemaking proc ess in the WTO. This is very important. Of course, 
we also agree on the importance of all MC12 deliverables apart from fisheries and agriculture which 
include pandemic response and WTO reform. We also look forward to having the agreement on 
pandemic respon se and WTO Reform. But we must remember that fisheries and agriculture would WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  form two of the new rulemaking outcomes in a WTO pillar that has not achieved much in the past 
few years.  
2.71.   As Thailand is a participant of the JSI on domestic regulations, we are happy that at least we 
concluded that. But everybody knew that that was a plurilateral effort. We support such efforts since 
this is one way that the WTO can continue to adapt to the reality by play ing more active roles in 
changing rules that affect intern ational trade and domestic trade alike. So, we are not discarding 
the JSI efforts . At the same time,  we have to say that we are disappointed that this is a house of 
multilateral trading system  yet we are yet to see  anything achieved multilaterally  in the r ecent years . 
Fisheries subsidies is running into its twentieth year of negotiations. In this regard, I urge all 
Members to exercise utmost flexibilit y in order to wrap up these negotiations and  have outcomes o n 
two of the most important rulemaking efforts that the WTO ca n provide  to the world this year. We 
have been as flexible as we can and we do not want to see some Members propos ing a new text or 
a very extensive change of text that are on the table. This is not appropriate at this junctu re. We 
hope to c onclude at least the fisheries negotiations and have some outcome on agriculture  this year. 
On agriculture , I just mention ed one issue that I am glad to hear th e CoA Chair referred to in her 
report – that food security will be taken up . The Director -General has mentioned this as well . This 
is one way to go  about it.  My key message  is that we need to do some work to get outcomes from 
the WTO rulemaking function that is very important for the multilateral trading system. I n this 
regard, I hope w e can already agree on the dates of MC12 today as well as on the format so that 
we can alert our Ministers of what they can expect to do in Geneva. T ime is running out. 
2.72.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:  
2.73.   The ACP Group thanks you, Director -General, for your report as well as your very candid 
comments and insights on your engagements. We are moving to finalize the new date for MC12. A 
lot of work remains to be done to put Ministers in a position to conclude  negotiations in some areas 
and settle the parameters for our future work on other areas. We remain engaged in the processes 
towards, inter alia, credible WTO response to the pandemic, fisheries subsidies negotiations and 
agriculture. We look forward to th e reopening of engagement on the WTO response to the pandemic. 
This remains a key priority for the group, the WTO must complement other international 
stakeholders in responding to the impact of the pandemic and in a way that generates a tangible 
impact. We  welcome efforts to integrate the ideas of all Members and importantly the outcome must 
include the IP discussions in the TRIPS Council on the Health dimension of WTO's response.  
2.74.   On fisheries, we welcome the progress reported. The ACP Group remains fully committed to 
an outcome on fisheries subsidies by MC12. An agreement on fisheries would complement all the 
national, regional and multilateral efforts in addressing their challenges of IUU fishing and 
overfishing and overcapacity. In so doing, it is import ant that we target major subsidizers and large -
scale industrial fishing as well as prevent loopholes to be exploited by those targeted. The Group's 
membership cannot live with an outcome without appropriate and effective S&DT including a 
standalone small p layers de minimis exemption of 1.2% under the overcapacity and overfishing 
pillar which provides comfort to all Members and which is not subsumed under the EEZ. Appropriate 
accommodation should also be found for those developing country Members in need of S&DT which 
do not fall within the de minimis threshold. We are of the view that S&DT discussions should not 
wait until the end of the negotiations. We must prioritize this issue and take up these discussions 
early. We believe that more work is needed as it  relates to Article 5.1.1 as we continue to see it as 
a loophole that could defeat the objective of the agreement. More work is also needed on provisions 
such as Article 8 where the current provisions are such that undue notification burden will be put on 
developing countries beyond their compliance capacity. There is also more groundwork to cover in 
respect of the relationship between the agreement which is being negotiated and the SCM 
Agreement. The Agreement should also embody respect for territorial int egrity and judicial autonomy 
targeting long -distance, large -scale fishers, addressing IUU fishing and adequate policy space to 
responsibly seize the opportunities of the blue economy.  
2.75.   On agriculture, the ACP Group takes note of the Chair's report. All pos itions on agriculture are 
well-known as indicated in previous TNC statements. Agriculture is an issue of fundamental 
importance to the ACP Group. The current negotiating text requires significant balance to address 
our concerns. Our priorities are to elimi nate imbalances in domestic support entitlements, address 
the issue of cotton, improve existing disciplines on PSH and agree rules on SSM. MC12 can be used 
to harvest an outcome on purchases by the World Food Programme. We will continue to engage with 
Memb ers and support the Chair in her attempts to arrive at a successful outcome for agriculture.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  2.76.   Speaking on behalf of Jamaica , my delegation wishes to align itself with the statement which 
was made by Panama on behalf of GRULAC.  
2.77.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
2.78.   Let me begin by expressing thanks to the Director -General for her report and also to 
Ambassador Santiago and Ambassador Abraham Peralta for their reports. Congratulations to the 
Director -General on completing her first an niversary. Thanks for taking up the issues of developing 
countries from time to tome and always mentioning the preamble of the Marrakesh Agreement that 
it is about people – not only from the development world but all people from developing countries. 
On th e WTO Response to the Pandemic, there has been intensive engagement under this process 
including under the Chair's stewardship. We must focus on a balanced response. We must refrain 
from approaching this as a market access issue and take away policy space available for Members 
and impose cumbersome obligations that serve to benefit a few Members. No doubt, we need to 
work on supply chain bottlenecks. However, doing away with the legitimate policy instrument of 
export restrictions or aiming for making tempor ary elimination of tariffs a permanent measure or 
calling for stringent transparency obligations is not a panacea to our problems. On the TRIPS Waiver, 
we would like to have a quick movement on the TRIPS Waiver proposal. The co -sponsors have 
tirelessly eng aged with everyone and we have shown flexibility and pragmatism. The Waiver remains 
a key ingredient of a multi -pronged approach to combat the pandemic. While some Members have 
called for maintaining the momentum in negotiations on all relevant areas, it i s pertinent to bear in 
mind that an outcome aimed at saving lives, livelihoods and to assist in global recovery from the 
pandemic, especially for the developing and the least -developed Members should guide the approach 
in these extraordinary times. A compr ehensive, effective, multilateral solution on the Waiver 
therefore must be prioritized over all other areas wherein negotiations are underway as this alone 
can salvage the waning credibility of this prominent multilateral institution. We thank the Director -
General for her efforts in moving forward these discussions. The outcomes on this will test the 
credibility of the multilateral trading system and need not wait for MC12.  
2.79.   On agriculture, the pandemic's adverse impact on food security of the poor and vuln erable 
population is beyond explanation. Their food security is a critical and mandated issue for this 
organization. A simple, efficient and permanent solution on extending PSH for food security purposes 
to new programmes and new products is therefore a ke y deliverable. It has been indicated by 
proponents that we will intensify our bilateral consultations as the Chair's text is not a starting point 
for us. Any outcome that does not address this mandated issue will not enhance the WTO's 
credibility. On fishe ries subsidies, the sustainability of the oceans' marine resources is at the core of 
the disciplines being negotiated and it is a shared responsibility of all. Keeping in line with this 
understating, India tabled its proposal in RD/TN/RL/147 suggesting the  prohibition of the subsidies 
provided by distant water fishing nations as this type of fishing is most harmful and cannot be 
continued without huge subsidies either for construction of large industrial vessels or allowing these 
vessels with subsidized fue l to exploit the high seas and waters of other countries. This prohibition 
will be the real step towards sustainability in line with the principles of "Polluter Pays" and "Common 
but differentiated responsibility". The prohibition of subsidies for distant water fishing is a red line 
for us. Let me reiterate that effective and appropriate S&DT is an integral part of these negotiations. 
This must ensure the developmental and future policy space needs of developing countries and LDCs 
to develop their fisheries  sector and to provide equitable opportunities to harness fisheries resources 
in all geographic zones, including in high seas. India's comprehensive proposal in RD/TN/RL/147 on 
Article 5 is keeping in view the demands of developing countries and LDCs on S& DT in this regard. 
Further, there is a need for S&DT in the form of carveouts for subsistence artisanal and small -scale 
fishermen up to coastal Members' EEZ – 200 nautical miles. Let me assure you, Chair, that India 
will support the conclusion of these neg otiations if the subsidies for distant water fishing are 
prohibited in real sense and demands of developing countries and LDCs on S&DT for future policy 
space to diversify and develop the fishing sector sustainably, including in the high seas, along with 
effective and appropriate S&DT for the subsistence, artisanal and small -scale fishermen are 
accepted. On WTO Reform, India supports the WTO reform agenda and has, together with the African 
Union and Cuba, re -submitted its WTO reform paper in WT/GC/W/778/Rev .4 for discussion at this 
General Council meeting. India is ready to support a decision by Ministers to initiate that reform 
process. However, that process needs to be inclusive, transparent and stick to basic principles which 
need to be spelt out before t he Ministers agree to initiate the process. The elements that we wish to 
see incorporated in the process are contained in our proposal in JOB/GC/287 as a draft Ministerial 
decision. We look forward to Members' engagement on our proposals.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  2.80.   The representativ e of Kazakhstan  delivered the following statement:  
2.81.   At the outset, I would like to say farewell to departing colleagues, particularly Ambassador 
Nazhat of Fiji. I also welcome new colleagues and look forward to working with you on our way to 
MC12 and therea fter. Using this opportunity, I also express Kazakhstan's deep gratitude to Mr. Victor 
Do Prado for his high standard professionalism and in -depth knowledge of both substantive and 
operational matters on the WTO's legal framework and functioning of this or ganization. And I would 
like to note with thanks his personal passion, guidance and assistance by sharing his deep knowledge 
and expertise on WTO as well as for his friendship in the preparation for our long -anticipated role at 
MC12. On this agenda item, I  would like to make very few brief comments. I would like to thank the 
Director -General for your comprehensive report and also the Chairs, Ambassadors Abraham Peralta 
and Wills for their contributions to this report. I would like to congratulate you, Direc tor-General, for 
your first year anniversary as head of the WTO. I would like to note that this last year was full of 
events  despite of COVID -19 restrictions, both in virtual and in person formats, which are aimed at 
addressing all the outstanding issues over which we are negotiating here in this house and aim to 
reach consensus -based decisions at MC12, particularly for your personal contribution to the WTO's 
response to COVID -19.  
2.82.  Today, if we achieve a consensus on the date for MC12, we will be noting th at we still have 
three and a half months until the date of the Ministerial Conference. One can say it is sufficient and 
others could say it is not enough in order to reach consensus. What is obvious is that we did not 
have a Ministerial Conference for four  and a half years during which we have the COVID -19 pandemic 
which has added to Members' deepening and widening divergent positions on traditional issues such 
as agriculture and fisheries which we have had in the past – and now we also have new items such 
as the WTO's response to COVID -19 particularly its IP component. So, I would like to call on WTO 
Members to use these three and a half months as wisely and productively as possible and go beyond 
national interests. Please make a contribution to the product ion or achieving a global public good in 
the form of agreements on all these outstanding and high priority issues. Under your able leadership, 
Chair, today and with the support of the Swiss delegation, we most likely will achieve consensus on 
the date of M C12. I note with satisfaction that this has been done in a very constructive spirit and I 
really hope that this constructive spirit will be maintained in addressing the substantive issues to 
achieve consensus on all these outstanding issues.  
2.83.   The representa tive of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
2.84.   Let me thank the Director -General and Ambassador Wills and Abraham Peralta for their 
reports. Above all, let me thank my colleague, my friend, Mr. Victor Do Prado, for his career at the 
WTO, for his work an d his friendship. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry's loss many years ago was the 
WTO's gain and, Victor, your knowledge of the WTO system, of the WTO mechanism is invaluable 
and I will dare to say "unreplaceable". On behalf of Brazil, thank you, and safe tra vels. On agriculture 
for MC12, Brazil will seek a reform process under Article XX that supports food security, international 
trade in agriculture and encourages sustainable agriculture and food systems. We will work under 
Ambassador Abraham Peralta's leade rship. There is work to be done in domestic support in order to 
fulfil Article XX's mandate and achieve a balanced and ambitious outcome, but it is time to recognize 
the false nexus between food security and PSH. Let us avoid false expectations in the next  few 
months. As far as Brazil is concerned, there is no longer consensus on the PSH mandate and MC12 
must recognize this new reality.  
2.85.   The representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , on behalf of the Arab Group , provided the 
following statement:  
2.86.   The Ara b Group would like to thank the Director -General for her report including her 
assessment and suggestions to Members on the way forward. Let me also extend our thanks to the 
Chairs of Negotiating Bodies for their reports and assessments.  At this critical juncture and the 
postponement of MC12 late last November due to the COVID -19 Omicron variant outbreak , the Arab 
Group believes that there is a need  now more than ever to maintain momentum and to continue 
work in all areas where meaningful outcomes  can be achieved. We should focus on delivering results 
that would benefit the entire Membership.  The Arab Group remains committed to constructive 
discussions and a meaningful outcome at MC12. On specific issues, allow me to highlight the Arab 
Group 's views on some certain areas that we see as priorities for MC12 . The first one is  the COVID -
19 pandemic . The Arab Group believes that it is crucial for the WTO to deliver a concrete outcome 
on its response to COVID -19 at MC12. We underline that a credible and m eaningful response to the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  pandemic should be comprehensive, taking into consideration all aspects, including the IP issues 
and food security considerations. We appreciate the approach of Ambassador Cast illo, Chair of the 
General Council , and his efforts to  bring to fruition the work carried out on the basis of the draft text 
prepared by Ambassador Walker in his latest version JOB/GC/281.  We believe that this text could 
constitute as a good basis for moving discussions in this area forward, and would benefit  from finding 
more consensus if it incorporated the relevant submissions made by various delegations during the 
various meetings, such as those compiled in documents JOB/GC/292 and JOB/GC/293.  We urge 
Members to intensify their consultations to find the ap propriate formulations on the basis of this 
amended text to meet the expectations of all including the developing and least -developed  Members. 
We are of the view that the WTO can contribute not only to responding to the current crisis but also 
to preparing  for future pandemics. The WTO can play an important role in ensuring the global supply 
chain of critical medical products and in making the vaccines available for all Members in need.  
2.87.   The second area is fisheries subsidies . We have taken note of the rece nt revised Draft 
Consolidated Text. While the text is considered as the basis for the negotiations, there are still major, 
if not conflicting, differences of opinion among Members on particular topics, the current text still 
lacks an adequate balance. We b elieve that we should redouble our efforts and engage constructively 
with one another to bridge the gaps, if we want to achieve balance and meaningful outcome before 
MC12. We also think that allowing more policy space for developing Members to develop thei r 
domestic fisheries in these negotiations will lead to a positive outcome.  The third is agriculture . We 
appreciate the Chair's efforts to help Members identify areas for potential consensus outcomes in 
the agriculture talks. However, it seems that gaps re main on several issues and Members have not 
yet converged sufficiently in many areas of negotiations. We think it would be more realistic and 
practical at this critical time to adjust the level of ambition and that we should perhaps think about 
preparing a  well-balanced work programme that will guide the negotiations on agriculture post 
MC12.  The fourth area is WTO Reform . We believe that active engagement, strong political will and 
a full understanding of the scope and elements of the WTO proposed reform s are required to advance 
the reform process. In this regard, the Arab Group recognizes the contribution that the Riyadh 
Initiative on the Future of the WTO has made by providing an additional opportunity to discuss and 
reaffirm the objectives and foundation al principles of the multilateral trading system and to 
demonstrate ongoing political support for WTO Reform discussions. We also underscore the 
importance of a well -functioning Dispute Settlement Body. We therefore encourage all Members to 
double their ef forts to restore the credibility and the trust of the WTO dispute settlement system 
and improve its functioning.  In the area of accession s to the WTO , let me seize this opportunity to 
thank the Director -General  for her valuable participation in the Second High-Level Regional Dialogue 
on WTO Accessions for the Arab Region on 7 -9 February 2022. We also would like to extend our 
thanks to the Secretariat particularly the Accessions Division for their outstanding efforts in 
organizing this event in collaboration  with the Arab Monetary Fund and the Islamic Development 
Bank.  The High -Level Regional Dialogue was an opportunity for acceding countries to share their 
experiences and voice their technical assistance needs regarding the accession process with the aim 
of strengthening regional, international and organizational cooperation. We commend the 
collaboration between the WTO, IsDB and AMF in assisting Arab acceding countries to better 
integrate into the multilateral trading system and accelerate their process to j oin the WTO. MC12 
should be an opportunity to deliver in this area to ensure more universality of the organization, 
particularly for those who are still in the process of accession.  The Arab Group will spare no efforts 
and will work constructively towards meaningful outcomes that serve the interests of all WTO 
Members.  
2.88.   The General Council took note  of the report of the Director -General and of the statements.  
3  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOMES – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
3.1.  The Chair  recalled3 that this item remained on the agenda to continue to follow -up, in a 
horizontal manner, on the implementation of ministerial mandates. In this respect, he had held a 
meeting with the chairs of regular bodies, and he took this opportunity to warmly thank t hem for 
their cooperation and engagement during his tenure as Chair of the General Council. As always, their 
updates on the implementation of the Ministerial mandates in their respective areas formed the basis 
of his statement made at the present meeting.  A number of WTO bodies had not yet met since the 
 
3 The Chair's report was subsequently circulated in document JOB/GC/295.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  previous General Council meeting. Therefore, his statement would only focus on matters where there 
had been developments since his last report in November.  
3.2.  On the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, he re called that, in the General Council 
Decision of December 2019, Members had agreed to reinvigorate work and to extend the moratorium 
until MC12 and had instructed the General Council to report to Ministers at MC12. In line with that 
Decision, at the Novembe r 2021 General Council meeting, he had reported on his e -commerce 
consultations in preparation for MC12. As Members were aware, despite the many consultations and 
exchanges held in different configurations, delegations could not reach consensus on a draft decision 
for Ministers' consideration at MC12.  In that regard, he suggested that the two draft Ministerial 
Decisions submitted by Members be forwarded to Ministers for their consideration. These two drafts 
are contained respectively in documents WT/GC/W/8 31 and WT/GC/W/838 and their revisions. They 
were subsequently issued as WT/MIN(21)/W/7 and WT/MIN(21)/W/8.  He would not repeat Members' 
well-known positions as these are reflected in his reports to the General Council as well as in reports 
by the chairs o f the respective bodies. Sufficed to highlight what he had observed as GC Chair over 
the past year. It was encouraging to note that, despite the divergent views, Members continued to 
attach importance to e -commerce, particularly in light of the pandemic wh ich had further highlighted 
its opportunities and challenges. Members had been engaging and deepening their discussion under 
the General Council and in the respective bodies, where work continued, but at different levels of 
engagement. The Councils for Tra de in Services and Trade in Goods had been active as per the 
reports of the respective Chairs. It was also his understanding that, in the Committee on Trade and 
Development (CTD), a submission focusing on inclusive development was circulated in November 
and would be discussed at the March meeting. Under the General Council, discussions on the Work 
Programme and the moratorium had continued – including through a Structured Discussion that he 
had convened in July. Several submissions were considered throughou t the year, and some 
delegations had highlighted the need to also discuss development concerns. Going forward, he urged 
all Members to continue with this level of engagement. It was, in his view, important for the WTO 
to remain a forum for Members to discu ss e-commerce, in an inclusive manner. As he had said in 
previous meetings, his role was to facilitate discussions – any decision with regard to the way forward 
on the Work Programme and the moratorium was in Members' hands. He therefore encouraged all 
Members to move forward with this work by engaging constructively and listening to each other.  
3.3.  As regards the follow -up to the Bali TRQ Decision, Members had engaged in intense discussions 
in the Committee on Agriculture (CoA) during 2021, both in formal and informal settings, to find a 
common agreement on the issue of the future operation of paragraph 4 of the Underfill Mechanism.  
Based on the discussions in the CoA, a draft decision contained in G/AG/32 had been transmitted to 
the General Council for its co nsideration and for subsequent submission to MC12. After the 
postponement of MC12, and in the absence of a definitive agreement among Members, the General 
Council, at its special meeting on 15 December 2021, had agreed to the exceptional extension of 
the d eadline for a decision on this matter until 31 March 2022. The CoA Chair had been consulting 
Members in different settings on the way forward with a view to reaching a consensus agreement 
on paragraph 4 before the newly agreed deadline, and this issue had been discussed at the informal 
meeting of the CoA on 2 and 18 February 2022.  With respect to the implementation of the Nairobi 
Decision on Export Competition, Brazil's revised schedule incorporating the Nairobi Decision had 
been certified as of 28 January 2022. With this, out of the 16 Members with export subsidy reduction 
commitments at the time of the Nairobi Decision, 15 Members had circulated their draft schedules; 
the draft revised schedules of 13 of these Members had already been certified. The CoA Ch air was 
holding consultations in advance of the next meeting of the Committee in March regarding the 
conclusion of the second triennial review of the Nairobi Decision on export competition.  
3.4.  On Aid for Trade, the CTD in Aid for Trade session had met earlie r this month to review the 
status of preparations for the Global Review and to hear updates on Aid for Trade financing activities.  
A theme had been found for the Global Review, "Empowering Connected, Sustainable Trade" – with 
a date to be set in due cours e. There was considerable interest on the part of Members in engaging 
in the event and preparations were advancing well at a technical level. The Chair encouraged 
Members to respond to the monitoring and evaluation questionnaire in this respect.  
3.5.  On Trade F acilitation, the Committee had completed the four -year review of the Trade 
Facilitation Agreement on 26 November. It contains 11 Committee's decisions and five 
recommendations. Work continued on the updating of the guidelines of the relationship between th e 
Trade Facilitation Committee and the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility. A new transparency tool WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  had been developed in 2021 to track requests for technical assistance from the Facility. The rate of 
ratification of the Agreement remained at 94%, with 9  Members still to ratify.  
3.6.  Regarding the Decisions on LDC Rules of Origin; LDCs services waiver; DFQF; the Monitoring 
Mechanism and Trade and Transfer of Technology, the Chair referred to his earlier report under this 
item, which was circulated in JOB/GC/28 3. 
3.7.  The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
3.8.  I want to welcome all the newcomers to Geneva and wish my departing colleagues the very 
best. I also want to say, on behalf of my delegation and my predecessors a big thank you to Victor 
do Prado for all of his hard work, his congeniality. He has been a very good friend of the WTO and a 
source of wisdom and advice to Canada and my delegation. We wish you the very best in your 
retirement. Canada is pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of Switzerland and Canada. We 
wish to take this opportunity to provide an update on the draft decision contained in document 
WT/GC/W/831/Rev.5, proposing to extend the Work Programme and moratorium on electronic 
commerce. While we are both strong supporter s for a permanent moratorium, we believe the most 
realistic option for MC12 is to maintain the longstanding practice of extending the moratorium and 
the Work Programme until MC13. We are pleased with the broad support our proposed approach 
has received so far. Sixty -three WTO Members have formally co -sponsored this draft decision and 
several other delegations are consulting internally. While MC12 has been postponed, we have 
continued our outreach activities and we wish to thank other Members for their respe ctive efforts. 
As indicated in previous occasions, we acknowledge that some WTO Members have questions about 
the effects of the digitalisation of their economies and are concerned by the digital divide. While we 
recognise the importance of the Work Program me for developing Members, we do not share the 
view that the non -renewal of the moratorium and the eventual use of tariff measures will stimulate 
the digital economy. Instead, we believe it would create further uncertainty within the multilateral 
trading s ystem and eventually open the way for new trade barriers that will negatively impact 
investment flows and domestic consumers. The current global trade context calls for enhanced 
predictability and transparency for businesses and consumers. We strongly beli eve Members should 
work on solidifying the existing e -commerce regulatory framework and not taking it apart. 
Switzerland and Canada are looking forward to continuing our engagement under various 
configurations with other Members on this important issue. We  remain open to consider ways to 
further reflect in the draft decision some development -related aspects. We certainly welcome 
additional co -sponsors.  
3.9.  The representative of Pakistan  provided the following statement:  
3.10.   Let me first take this opportunity to bid farewell to our colleagues who are leaving us and 
wish them the best of luck. I welcome colleagues who have recently arrived in Geneva. I look forward 
to working with them. I would also like to congratulate and wel come the delegation of Turkmenistan 
and wish to extend all possible support from Pakistan in the process. Pakistan recalls and echoes its 
statements made under this item in previous meetings of the General Council. We wish to continue 
inviting Member's att ention to this lacking implementation record of the previous ministerial 
outcomes. We have been highlighting consistently that development remains the end we seek to 
achieve an enhancing trade and it should be the cornerstone of our efforts. For the sake o f dispelling 
doubts on its irrelevance, and for the credibility of the WTO, the poor track record of implementing 
ministerial decisions and mandated work programmes must be corrected. A good signal for the world 
would lie in delivering meaningful outcomes on longstanding, unimplemented mandates including  
those lurking in the background from the Doha Development Round. Some important issues include 
correcting imbalances in agriculture, delivering on the G90 proposals on SDT, delivering an 
agreement on fisher ies subsidies that is meaningful and sympathetic to the needs of developing and 
least-developed Members. We, at the WTO, have suffered from many missed deadlines and 
unfulfilled promises in the past. Particularly, developmental issues linked to the livelih oods and the 
developmental prospects of people in developing countries. We should not continue to fail these 
people. I would therefore urge you once again, Chair, to build a mechanism where unfulfilled 
mandates and unimplemented decisions are regularly hig hlighted in this Council and at the 
Ministerial Conferences as a reminder for us to act in the right direction. We all talk about the global 
challenges we face today, from climate change to the pandemic. It will not be possible to address 
issues of the glo bal commons unless multilateralism at the WTO shifts gears from being primarily 
competitive to being in a cooperative mode. Until then, we can talk the talk, but we will not be able 
to deliver unless we all show flexibility.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  3.11.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , delivered the following statement:  
3.12.   The LDC Group wishes to recall that our trade ministers highlighted the need to follow up on 
the unfinished business of fully implementing the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires outcome decisions 
and they outlined specific actions in their Ministerial Declaration that could support fully 
operationalizing those decisions. We urge Members to work with LDC proposals submitted and 
reflected in the outcome document draft for MC12. These proposals track our LDC M inisters' 
Declaration for MC12 adopted in October last year. We thank you, Chair, and the Members we were 
in negotiations with during your process on the outcome document.   
3.13.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
3.14.   First, I would like  to bid farewell to all colleagues who have completed their tenure and 
returning home countries. I wish their success in future endeavours. Similarly, I welcome new 
colleagues and wish them a successful tenure in Geneva. I associate with the statement deli vered 
by Chad on behalf of the LDC group. My delegation commends you, Chair, for your comprehensive 
report on the implementation of the Bali, Nairobi, and Buenos Aires outcomes. Making an appropriate 
decision is a good start. However, real results on the g round fully depend on the effective 
implementation of the decisions. While going through the implementation of the past decisions taken 
by the Ministerial Conferences, especially those in favour of the LDCs, we noticed that some progress 
had been made in s ome areas. However, the effective operationalization of service waiver, the 
simplification of rules of origin as per the Nairobi Ministerial Decision and other issues are still waiting 
their full -fledged implementation. My delegation extends its sincere ap preciation to all Members who 
have already implemented the decisions and to those who are the process of doing so. The 
incorporation of this matter in the outcome document for MC12, as a continuation of Members' 
commitment to the effective implementation o f the past decisions, would be helpful both regarding 
the improvement of implementation and in order to accomplish the required follow up of decisions.  
3.15.   The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
3.16.   The European Union would li ke to, once again, stress the utmost importance of extending the 
WTO e -commerce moratorium at MC12. At a time of post -pandemic recovery, when the digital 
transformation is key in economic development, we cannot afford to discontinue the moratorium on 
custo ms duties on electronic transmissions and open a possibility to introduce new barriers to digital 
trade. We would also like to express our support for the extension of the e -commerce Work 
Programme, in the same Ministerial Decision, in line with the WTO pr actice which has been there for 
more than 20 years. In that respect, the European Union continues to fully support the draft decision 
(WT/GC/W/831) that proposes the extension of both the moratorium and the work programme until 
MC13. This is a balanced and  pragmatic compromise. We appreciate that this draft decision was 
already supported by a large and diverse group of WTO Members. We invite those Members who 
have not yet supported this draft decision yet to do so as soon as possible. On the Nairobi Decisio n 
on export competition, the European Union continues to urge the remaining Members that have not 
yet submitted their revised schedules, to make the necessary schedule modifications to eliminate 
export subsidy commitments as soon as possible.  Finally, on t he Bali Ministerial Decision on Tariff 
Rate Quota (TRQ) administration, the European Union fully supports the final text agreed in the 
regular Committee on Agriculture on the review of the Bali Decision on TRQ management, as 
contained in G/AG/32. So much e nergy and effort has been invested in this issue. We appreciate the 
flexibility of some Members in these negotiations. However, the European Union is utterly dismayed 
by the current deadlock on the Bali TRQ decision review. If such a straightforward issue cannot be 
agreed upon, how can we think that the membership will be able to negotiate new rules in more 
contentious agricultural issues? The European Union urges the Members concerned to engage 
constructively and work towards consensus before the deadline of 31st March.  
3.17.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
3.18.   We reiterate that PSH has a clear ministerial mandate and that PSH negotiations must be on 
an accelerated, separate track. Any effort to link these discussions with other pillars  undermines the 
Ministerial mandate. Unfortunately, the negotiations on finding a solution as per the mandate have 
not progressed much. It has not progressed despite: (i) two large WTO negotiating groups, the G33 
and the African Group, making submissions i n support of this, and (ii) the G33 Ministers Joint 
Statement of September 2021 reiterating the need for an expeditious resolution of this issue at WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  MC12. It reaffirms the G33 Members' commitment and readiness to work with the rest of the WTO 
Members based on the elements contained in the proposals submitted by the G33 Members. If the 
WTO Membership cannot deliver on mandated issues from past ministerial meetings, then its 
competency comes into question. In nutshell, the credibility of the WTO hinges on the outcomes of 
the Bali and Nairobi Ministerial mandates, especially when food security issues have become 
pronounced due to the ongoing pandemic. The WTO should come out of the self -imposed impasse 
in these unprecedented times and redeem itself by delivering  a permanent solution on PSH.  India 
has been constructively engaging on this issue with other Members in relevant meetings. We do not 
support linking PSH outcomes with outcomes in other pillars. A key, simple and efficient deliverable 
would be a permanent solution for extending PSH for food security purposes to new programs and 
products. On 15 December 2021, the General Council in special session agreed to extend the 
deadline to 31 March 2022 to provide additional time to those members who were still consul ting 
their capitals. In this regard, India had conveyed its position in the November 2021 GC meeting, 
and sought to reaffirm the Bali decision in the informal CoA meeting of 2 February 2022. Since the 
SDT element, as available in Paragraph 4 of Annex A of the Bali decision, is not available in the 
proposed resolution, India could not concur with the proposal and sought to reaffirm the Bali 
decision. India remains committed to finding a solution so long as the SDT element is preserved in 
any resolution propo sed. 
3.19.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
3.20.   Before commencing, when we took the floor with regard to agenda item 2, pursuant to your 
instructions, Chair, we did not want to delay that agenda item by mentioning too many non -
substantive issues. For that reason, we did not congratulate our esteemed DG for her work during 
her first year. We would like to take this opportunity to remedy that omission. Turning to the current 
agenda item, the inability of the WTO to implement its agr eed decisions and mandates contributes 
to the inequity we see in the benefits from the multilateral trading system. In order for the system 
to function, it has to address and respond to the issues of concern, especially to the majority of its 
Members. In B ali, the Ministers instructed the TNC to work on the remaining Doha Development 
Agenda issues, particularly on agricultural development, as well as S&D and LDC issues. This work 
remains outstanding and is even more pertinent in the context of the COVID -19 pandemic. This 
continues to have a disproportionate effect on developing countries. We reiterate that the 
dysfunction of the WTO is not limited to the Appellate Body but it also relates to the inability of this 
institution to deliver on multilaterally agre ed mandated issues.  With regard to the e -commerce 
moratorium, we will deal with that aspect under agenda item 11.  
3.21.   The representative of Cambodia  delivered the following statement:  
3.22.   First, we align ourselves with and fully support the statement made by Chad on behalf of the 
LDC Group. I want to reflect upon the implementation of decisions in favour of the LDCs from 
previous Ministerial Conferences. I would like to inform that the development of LDCs has slowed 
down greatly as a result of the pandemic. In the recently adopted document WT/COMTD/LDC/W/69 
(Market Access for Products and Services of Export Interest to Least Developed Countries), we learn 
that the growth of LDC exports of products and services in 2020 drop sharply by 16% compared to 
2019.  The LDC's trade profile is oriented towards imports, which means that the LDC trade deficit is 
very high (98.8 billion US dollars overall for both goods and services in 2020). The LDCs' share of 
global export for both goods and services also suffered, dropping from 1.05% to 1.01% for goods 
and 0.70% to 0.57% for services. In term s of export profile, LDCs' exports remained dependent on 
primary products, followed by clothing and other manufactured products. What I want to 
demonstrate is that trade should be an importan t tool for economic recovery post -pandemic, 
especially for the LDCs. I would like to point out that the LDCs' share of world export of goods and 
commercial services remained below 1%. Therefore, it is important that we fully utilize preferential 
treatments  in favour of LDCs, including the full implementation of DFQF of up to 97% market access 
for LDCs, the operationalization of the LDC services waiver and the further simplification of 
preferential rules of origin, to ensure LDCs' full utilization of prefere ntial market access.  
3.23.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
3.24.   Chair, w e appreciate your hard work. Indonesia continues to reiterate its priority and the need 
to deliver on the mandated issues in agriculture at MC12. As we have been striving to implement 
the mandates from the Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires Ministerial Confere nces, we need to remain 
committed in delivering the mandated issues in order to remain credible and relevant. Indonesia WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  believes that, as Members of a rules -based organisation, our work is based on mandates that we 
need to adhere to. On agriculture, let me  begin by reminding the Members that our mandate is 
achieved through consensus. As such, revoking a mandate cannot be done unilaterally. We cannot 
disregard a consensus without another consensus. We continue to maintain our position and priority 
that outco mes at MC12 should lead to achieve the establishment of a permanent solution on public 
stockholding for food security as well as a comprehensive and balanced outcome on a special 
safeguard mechanism. Agriculture reform is urgently needed to create a fair a nd balanced discipline 
that addresses the current pandemic challenges and its impact on food security and livelihoods 
security. The implications of the COVID -19 pandemic, particularly on food and livelihoods security 
in developing countries and LDCs have a lso been underlined by G33 Ministers at the G33 informal 
Ministerial meeting on 16 September 2021. The G33 Ministers have also underscored their 
commitment to move forward with their agriculture negotiations in the WTO on PSH and SSM. 
Moreover, Indonesia a nd the G33 co -sponsoring Members have been active and constructive in 
providing inputs on PSH discussions by submitting proposal JOB/AG/214 as a proposed permanent 
solution for PSH. Therefore, Indonesia urges that the text prepared by the Chair of the CoA -SS 
reflects and accommodate our inputs and concerns. On our part, the G33 has also planned to 
intensify its engagement with the broader Membership in the coming weeks so that we can arrive 
at a mutually agreed outcome for MC12.  On the issue of the moratori um on customs duties, 
Indonesia will respond on this issue under agenda item 11.  
3.25.   The representative of Uruguay  delivered the following statement:  
3.26.   I would like to refer to another of the decisions adopted under the Bali mandate. As Members 
will know, under the Bali mandate we have to address the issue of tariff rate quotes (TRQ). This is 
being put forward in discussions. Regrettably, due to the opposition of a Member, it has not been 
possible to arrive at a consensus yet. I do believe that it is very importa nt that we fulfil this very 
mandate from the Bali Conference. Allow me, finally, to recall that, according to the provisions 
established under the Agreement on Agriculture, we do have a Ministerial mandate to continue with 
the reform process on agriculture , which regrettably we have not been able to fulfil for the last 
twenty -five years.  
3.27.   The General Council took note of the Chair's  report and of the statements.  
4  WORK PROGRAMME ON SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE  ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
4.1.  The Chair recalled that, in line with the agreement in the General Council in 2002, the Work 
Programme on Small Economies was a standing item on the agenda and the Committee on Trade 
and Development reported regularly on the progr ess of work in its Dedicated Sessions. In Buenos 
Aires, Ministers had reaffirmed their commitment to the Work Programme and had instructed the 
CTD to continue its work in Dedicated Sessions under the overall responsibility of the General 
Council. In this r espect, he recalled that the Chair of the CTD had reported on progress of work at 
every regular meeting of the General Council during his term and that, at the last regular meeting 
in November, the General Council had agreed to forward a draft decision in this area to the Ministerial 
Conference for adoption by Ministers.  
4.2.  Ambassador Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan), Chair of the Dedicated Session of the 
CTD, provided  the following  report : 
4.3.  It will be recalled that, at the General Council meeting last Novem ber, I introduced the report 
of the CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies to the General Council, contained in document 
WT/COMTD/SE/11. This report was prepared in line with the established practice for the Dedicated 
Session to submit a written report  to the General Council in the year of a WTO Ministerial Conference.  
In addition to containing an overview of the work undertaken in the Dedicated Session since the last 
Ministerial Conference, the report contains the elements of a draft text for a Ministe rial Decision at 
MC12 on the Work Programme on Small Economies, which was agreed by Members in the Dedicated 
Session. The draft Decision, inter alia, reaffirms Ministers' commitment to the Work Programme on 
Small Economies, and notably instructs the CTD in  Dedicated Session to work on integrating small 
economies into the post COVID -19 economy – both in terms of the effects of the pandemic, as well 
as in terms of the challenges and opportunities. The WTO Secretariat is to provide relevant 
information and fac tual analysis for discussion among Members.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  4.4.  The General Council agreed to forward the draft Decision to the Ministerial Conference for 
adoption, but as we all know, MC12 could not take place at the end of last year as scheduled, due 
to the health situation . The draft Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies has therefore 
as yet not been formally adopted by Ministers.  That being the case, the fact remains that Members 
agreed in the Dedicated Session to undertake work on integrating small economies i nto the post 
COVID -19 economy. With this in mind, I shall be exploring the possibility with Members of holding 
a meeting of the Dedicated Session on Small Economies in the near future, to allow at least a 
preliminary discussion to take place on the matter.  Such a meeting would permit the proponents to 
spell out in some detail how they see the work on this matter going forward, and what they are 
expecting from it – including any specific issues they would wish the Secretariat to address in the 
information an d factual analysis that it will provide in due course.  
4.5.  Let me add that my informal interactions with Members are also allowing me to explore in a 
broader sense what else could be done to advance the work under the Work Programme. In this 
regard, I would l ike to say that I recently met informally at Ambassadorial level with a number of 
members of the SVE Group in order to discuss issues relating to the Work Programme. This meeting 
allowed for a very rich and comprehensive discussion on the needs of small ec onomies and the 
extent to which they are being addressed in the WTO. It is worth mentioning that all representatives 
at the meeting stressed the importance to them of the Work Programme. I myself encouraged the 
small economies to continue to submit proposa ls in the negotiating groups and other WTO bodies, 
so that the issues of interest and concern to them are brought to the attention of the Membership. 
Overall, the discussion certainly provided much food for thought, and I believe that it will form a 
useful  basis for further interactions on the way forward in the Work Programme.  Let me say in 
closing that the Work Programme on Small Economies is not only a very important part of the CTD's 
work, but is also important to the overall work of the WTO. I take this opportunity to call on all 
Members to continue to engage in order to fram e responses to the trade -related issues identified for 
the fuller integration of small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system – as per 
the original mandate which established the Work Programme.  
4.6.  The Director -General  delivered the follow ing statement:  
4.7.  This Work Programme, which is overseen by the Committee on Trade and Development's 
Dedicated Session on Small Economies, is essential for many WTO Members. A lot of good work has 
been done since it was established 20 years ago, and at each M inisterial meeting, Ministers have 
given guidance for further work in this area.  I was pleased to learn last October that Members had 
agreed in the CTD on a draft Ministerial Decision at MC12 on the Work Programme on Small 
Economies. The draft Decision rea ffirms Ministers' commitment to the Work Programme on Small 
Economies, and appropriately calls for Members to address the issue of making sure that small 
economies are integrated into a wider global post -pandemic economic recovery.  It is extremely 
importan t that work continue in the WTO to address the issues of interest and concern to small 
economies. So I would urge Members to continue to place emphasis on making progress in the Work 
Programme on Small Economies. I would also particularly call on the small  economies themselves 
to continue to make submissions in the negotiating groups and other WTO bodies. After all, it is only 
by making submissions and having them discussed by the Membership that they can make their 
voices heard.  As per the mandate, the obj ective of the Work Programme on Small Economies is to 
frame responses to the trade -related issues identified for the fuller integration of small, vulnerable 
economies into the multilateral trading system, and not to create a sub -category of WTO Members. 
I therefore call on all Members to work together to achieve this objective.  
4.8.  The representative of Guatemala , on behalf of the SVEs , delivered the following statement:  
4.9.  Allow me  first to wish the warmest of welcome to the Ambassadors of Grenada, Indonesia, 
Nicaragua and New Zealand who are taking up their work at this organi zation. And allow me also to 
bid farewell to the Ambassador of Fiji, a Member of the SVE Group who is leaving us. We wish you 
all the success in your professional duties going forward. Mr . Victor do Prado, I would like to join 
other colleagues who have spoken before me in thanking you for your work and dedication, and for 
the great care you have taken of the Members of this organi zation for so long. We will really miss 
you and wish you the fu llest of success in your future endeavours and activities.  
4.10.   At the last meeting of the General Council, the membership took note of the report of the 
Committee on Trade and Development where we heard a report on the Work Programme on Small 
Economies  – providing the first consensu al outcome for MC12. Regrettably, as the Chair of the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Committee on Trade and Development has correctly stated , the formal adoption of that decision 
remains pending until the holding of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference. We therefore  believe that it 
is important to make progress on work under the Work Programme as agreed in th at decision to 
integrat e small economies into the post -COVID -19 economy, tackl e the challenges posed by the 
pandemic and identify the challenges and opportunitie s for small economies. The SVEs will be 
working together with other interested Members and the Secretariat to initiate work on this in the 
lead up to MC12 . We hope that this new Ministerial Decision will inject new life into the work 
programme and that we will be able to continue to discuss and identify solutions to better integrate  
SVEs into trade as we heard from the Director -General and the Chair of the CTD.  
4.11.   The representative of Barbados , on behalf of CARICOM,  delivered the following statement:  
4.12.   Since  2018, the discussions held under the rubric of the Work Programme on S mall Economies  
have drawn attention to the challenges faced by small, vulnerable economies. These have further 
highlighted the fact that many small economies continue to be on the fring es of the multilateral 
trading system, as well as the need for further dedicated discussion on how this group of countries 
could rise above their vulnerabilities and the challenges associated with their small size, to reap 
more benefits from trade and even tually, further integrate into the multilateral trading system.  We 
are particularly pleased to see that the conversation regarding the date for reconvening MC12 has 
matured, and we look forward to Ministerial approval of the decision on the Work Programme on 
Small Economies, particularly as it relates to the commencement of work on the topic, "Integrating 
small economies into the post COVID -19 economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges and 
opportunities ". The Group recogni zes that this is only a small asp ect of the decision on the Work 
Programme on S mall Economies  and we intend to explore how we can examine and implement other 
aspects of the work programme, for example, the General Council 's function in directing relevant 
subsidiary bodies to frame respons es to the trade -related issues identified by the CTD with a view 
to making recommendations for action.  The CARICOM Group stands ready to continue its 
engagement on the Work Programme on Small Economies and looks forward to continued 
engagement on this file  in the General Council and also in the Committee on Trade and Development.  
4.13.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
4.14.   Our Group aligns itself with the statement by Guatemala a while ago. Small economi es, 
particularly in the Pacific , face significant challenges  given our  depen dency  on very few exports, high 
susceptib ility to external economic shocks, and being uncompetitive due to the high trade costs that 
we face every day  – owing to our remoteness, sm allness and our geographical fragmentation. These 
structural characteristics are exacerbated by climate change and natural disasters. COVID -19 has 
further made this worse and it has severely affected us, our exports, and our economies have 
declined somewha t. Many useful topics, lessons and experiences were discussed at the Dedicated 
Sessions held in 2021, including on promoting investments, on the economic and trade impact of 
natural disasters on small economies, and how to build resilience. As far as we ar e concerned , the 
next step is how to translate these lessons into framing responses for the fuller integration of small 
vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system, as required by Paragraph 35 of the Doha 
Agenda.  We therefore encourage Member s to engage constructively to facilitate meaningful 
responses to integrating SVEs in the multilateral trading system. The Pacific Group therefore 
supports the extension of the Work Programme on Small Economies at MC12.  
4.15.   The representative of Fiji delivered  the following statement:  
4.16.   Let me at the outset, on behalf of Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, commend all 
Excellencies, the Director -General and colleagues for all your kind words in view of her imminent 
departure. Your messages and kind wishes will be duly  conveyed to Ambassador Kh an. I also wish 
to take this opportunity to convey Fiji's deep gratitude to Mr . Victor do Prado for his contribution to 
the WTO. We wish him the best in the next chapter of his journey. We also welcome Excellencies 
from New Zealan d, Granada and Nicaragua. We convey our best wishes for a successful term in 
Geneva.  
4.17.   Fiji aligns itself with the statement made by Vanuatu on behalf of the Pacific Group. We convey 
our sincere gratitude to the Chair of the CTD for his report and his contin ued dedication in this 
Committee for Small and Vulnerable Economies. We recall that, last year, the Committee was the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  first to reach consensus for an outcome document for small economies in preparation for MC12. This 
is a testament to the good leadership o f the Chair of the CTD. Considering the challenges regularly 
echoed by small economies in this Council, we look forward to a targeted work plan to allow fuller 
integration of small and vulnerable economies. On this note, Fiji supports the extension of the Work 
Programme on Small Economies at MC12.  
4.18.   The representative of Mauritius  delivered the following statement:  
4.19.   The draft MC12 Decision addresses the issue of integrating SVEs in the global economy in the 
context of COVID -19. From the perspective of Mauritiu s as a Small Island Developing State, this is 
an important area, especially as we plan for our recovery from the pandemic, taking into account 
our inherent vulnerabilities. The volcanic eruption in Tonga, or the tropical storm that successively 
struck Maur itius and Madagascar, are among the most recent reminders of the threats that small 
economies live with. Years of efforts may get wiped out by such events as well as other global 
challenges such as the pandemic. We therefore call upon Members to support th e adoption of the 
draft MC12 Decision on the table.  
4.20.   The representative of Sri Lanka  delivered the following statement:  
4.21.   I would like to thank the D irector -General  for her keen interest in drawing Members' attention 
to the concerns of small economies. We are  very grateful that she has made specific comments 
today on the importance that small economies place to this institution a nd for urging Members to 
address some of their concerns within the framework of the Work Programme on Small Economies . 
We also j oin other delegations in welcoming all the new colleagues . We also want to say farewell to 
the outgoing Ambassadors including Ambassador Khan whom we recognize with high esteem. As 
Mauritius stated, she is going to take over a very important assignment in the H ague. We 
congratulate her on her future endeavours. Also, I would be failing my duty if I did not say a few 
words about Mr . Victor do Prado. We have benefitted from his institutional memory being a 
longstanding member of the WTO staff. Certainly, we are go ing to miss his association, knowledge 
and wisdom . 
4.22.   My delegation wishes to express its appreciation for the positive engagement of the entire 
Membership in advancing the Work Programme on Small Economies including regarding the draft 
Ministerial Declaration that is still pending to be adopted by Ministers a t MC12. Equal appreciation 
goes to Ambassador Piracha of Pakistan, the Chair of the CTD, for his insightful and detailed report 
and his dedication towards finding a solution on these issues for small economies. The Work 
Programme on Small Economies was a standing item of the agenda since Members have agreed to 
its establishment. Under the guidance of the current Chair, the Work Programme has progressed 
faster than many initiatives that have been undertaken. Small and vulnerable economies confront 
significant challenges  at a critical juncture o n their path to sustainable development. Economic 
growth, human development and vulnerability indicators point to the specific challenges affecting 
them. There is therefore a need to accord a renewed imp etus to this Work Programme which enables  
us to bring the most pressing  issues that are dear to small and vulnerable economies.  The 
Membership should  accord close attention to the challenges faced by SVEs in the present context in 
relation to  trade. On the  vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, as you know, many 
small economies are disproportionately vulnerable to a range of natural and man -made disasters, 
particularly to those located in the disaster -prone areas. On the disproportionate imp act of the 
COVID -19 pandemic on small economies that underscores their unique vulnerabilities, while the 
spread of COVID -19 has been contained in most of the small economies, the economic and social 
impact has been particularly severe on them.  
4.23.   The social and economic impact of the pandemic has also been high, as many small economies 
are highly dependent on activities such as international tourism, which has sharply declined in the 
midst of pandemic induced global recession. The pandemic has further acceler ated high  fiscal 
imbalances and vulnerabilities in several small economies particularly those that have limited access 
to resources as they do  not meet the eligibility criteria defined by international financial institutions. 
Such a situation has arisen as  small economies also inherit very peculiar situations such as small 
domestic revenue and limited borrowing opportunities. Further, there are heavy reliance on worker 
remittances in the area of services  that represent a large source of external financing  – close to half 
of all the external remittances. Even though official development finance which normally represents 
close to 25% of total external inflows but in the present context shows very slow  growth are also 
factors that are comparatively prevalent in  small economies. It is Sri Lanka's position that the new WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  development solution and approaches are needed to chart the course of prosperity for their people 
and their environment. In order to achieve this objective, there is a lot the WTO can do. As stated 
in the draft MC12 decision, the work in relation to small economies in the context of the pandemic 
needs our immediate attention. Their particular vulnerabilities to external shocks, such as economic 
shocks and other kind s of shocks, are  flagged in all for ms of negotiations in the WTO including on 
fisheries subsidies, agriculture and the environmental agenda. As many stated today, we are 
pursuing , as we have already done in the fisheries subsidies negotiations, how this specific textual 
formulation could be  presented to focus on the specific concerns of small economies.  
4.24.   The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , on behalf of the OECS , delivered the 
following statement:  
4.25.   We associate with the statement of CARICOM. Almost a year ago, we witnessed t he 
devastating impact of the explosive volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines which 
early estimates from the IMF suggested would have resulted in economic losses amounting to around 
30% of GDP given the extensive damage to infrastructure, ho using, agriculture and other sectors 
and subsectors. More recently , we saw the destruction caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami 
in Tonga. The World Bank estimates that the resulted damage is somewhere between USD 90 and 
208 million. We take this opp ortunity to renew our solidarity to the government and people of Tonga. 
Natural disasters and climatic events are now unfortunately part of our daily lived reality in our small 
vulnerable economies and Small Island Developing States. This is in addition to  the susceptibility we 
face and our external volatilities such as unfavourable global economic headwinds and pandemics 
as we are now experiencing.  
4.26.   We might all be in the same ocean, but we are not all in the same boat. This is why we 
continue to support f ocused attention on the issues of particular importance to the SVEs in the 
context of the WTO. We are particularly interested in how trade policy can be deployed to support 
our efforts at building resilience and responding appropriately to the unique chall enges which 
confront us. One of the early harvests ahead of MC12 was the draft Ministerial Decision on the Work 
Programme on Small Economies. We want this to remain harvested. It is also important, just as we 
have been doing since 2018, that we continue to  reflect on the challenges small economies 
experience in their efforts to reduce trade costs, particularly in the area of trade facilitation, 
opportunities and challenges for small economies in attracting investments, and economic and trade 
impact of natur al disasters on small economies which remain important. We certainly look forward 
to constructive engagement with the rest of the Membership post -MC12 on advancing work on 
proposals of interest to us as we seek our fuller integration into the global econom y. 
4.27.   The representative of the Maldives  delivered the following statement:  
4.28.   The Maldives believes in increasing market access, tackling non -tariff barriers to trade, 
encouraging exports of high importance when it comes to economic empowerment of Small Island 
Developing States, and their integration within the multilateral trading syst em. Small Island 
Developing States have inherent vulnerabilities with dispersed islands accounting for high costs of 
transportation and connectivity. We also have small populations which means we are unable to 
achieve economies of scale. These issues are c ompounded by environmental catastrophe, including 
marine pollution and biodiversity loss. Small Island Developing States like the Maldives looks to the 
international community and the multilateral trading system to overcome these challenges. The 
Maldives e ncounters significant constraints when it comes to accessing international markets, 
especially following our graduation from the LDC status. In the light of this, and in respect of 
sustainable trading practices,  it is important to explore and place greater  emphasis on sustainably 
sourced products, especially in the context of fisheries which are an import ant export item of most 
island countries. It is important to have a mechanism and trade regimes that encourage such 
production. To combat the challenges we  face, we seek to develop comprehensive strategies through 
enhanced dialogue and international cooperation. We need to ensure that sustainable trade, 
development in Small Island Developing States like the Maldives, and enhanced meaningful market 
access pro mote economic growth and achieve the promising potential of the blue economy.  
4.29.   The General Council took note  of the report of the Chair of the CTD , the statement of the 
Director -General  and of the other statements.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  5  TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERE NCE – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
5.1  The Chair said that, under this item, his intention was to address three aspects related to the 
Ministerial Conference. First, he would briefly recall where Members had left their preparatory work 
for MC12 on the substantive ma tters under the General Council. Second, he would also recall the 
subsequent consultations in various areas that had been conducted since the postponement of MC12. 
Third, he would address the issue that required the immediate attention of the General Counc il which 
was related to the possible dates for reconvening MC12.  
5.2  On the first aspect, delegations would no doubt recall the intensive work which had gone into 
the preparations of the MC12 in 2021, with the objective of delivering meaningful outcomes in 
various areas, including the preparation of a possible MC12 outcome document. In this respect, and 
thanks to the constructive engagement by all delegations in an intensive process, very good progress 
had been made, and the last draft of a possible MC12 outcom e document had been circulated on 26 
November in RD/GC/17/Rev.2. At its meeting on 22 -23 November, the General Council had 
forwarded two draft decisions for adoption by Ministers, one on the Work Programme on Small 
Economies, and the other on TRIPS non -violation and situation complaints circulated in 
WT/MIN(21)/W/3 and WT/MIN(21)/W/4, respectively. In addition, and as he had also noted under 
Item 3 of the agenda, two proposed draft decisions on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce 
and the moratorium, p resented by groups of Members, had been discussed and – since no common 
view could be reached – had both been forwarded to Ministers. In November, the General Council 
had also discussed the report by the Facilitator on the WTO response to the pandemic for possible 
outcome at MC12, together with a draft declaration and an action plan circulated under his own 
responsibility. The General Council had also taken note that work had been continuing on a number 
of proposals by Members or groups of Members in the le ad-up to the Conference. Despite the 
postponement of MC12 in the evening of 26 November due to the deteriorating epidemiological 
situations at that time, all Members had stressed the importance to sustain the momentum and to 
continue work in all areas.  
5.3  Immediately after the winter break, in January, he had held consultations on a range of MC12 -
related issues including on how to proceed with work on the WTO response to the pandemic; how 
to proceed on the substantive issues under the General Council, includin g the Outcome Document; 
and on reconvening MC12. He had reported on his consultations at an Informal Meeting of the 
General Council on 25 January, and his report had been circulated in JOB/GC/289. On the WTO 
response to the pandemic, he would provide a det ailed report under the next agenda item. With 
respect to the outcome document, delegations had stressed the importance of preserving the work 
accomplished in the lead up to the postponed MC12, with several delegations highlighting the 
importance that they had attached to specific issues in the paragraphs of the outcome document – 
most of which had already been relatively cleaned during the process.  He referred to his report in 
JOB/GC/289 for a more complete description of delegations' views. He would leave  it in the able 
hands of his successor, Ambassador Didier Chambovey, on how to take this important work forward.  
5.4  On the dates for reconvening MC12, on which he had also consulted in January, in light of the 
previous week's welcome announcement by the Swiss  authorities lifting several COVID -19 related 
measures, together with the Director -General, he had convened a meeting with regional group 
coordinators and other delegations at which Ambassador Chambovey (Switzerland) in light of his 
consultations with his authorities, had informed them of the possible windows for a reconvened 
MC12, which were: (i) 2 to 4 June 2022, or (ii) the week of 13 June 2022. He had requested all 
regional group coordinators to update their respective constituencies of those discussion s and he 
had then convened an Informal General Council meeting on 22 February. At that meeting, 
Ambassador Chambovey had provided a detailed update of the decisions of the Swiss authorities, 
and the Director -General had followed with an update on the measu res taken by the WTO Health 
Task Force for the staff of the WTO Secretariat further to the decision of the Swiss authorities.   
5.5  He had then sought the views of delegations on the two proposed windows for reconvening 
MC12, that was 2 -4 June or the week of 1 3 June. 43 delegations had intervened and from what he 
had gathered from the discussion, Members welcomed this very positive development and the 
possibility to reconvene MC12, which, as many had underlined, should provide impetus to the work 
and focus for the discussion for Ministerial outcomes. Several delegations had highlighted the crucial 
importance of the preparatory process and had referred to the need of advancing work in key areas, 
including agriculture, fisheries subsidies and the WTO response to t he pandemic including the IP 
aspects and WTO Reform. Some delegations had also noted that the Conference should avoid WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  ceremonial aspects to the extent possible and focus on the issues where Ministerial guidance and 
decisions were needed. Several delegation s had also asked that the international calendar of 
meetings should be borne in mind when identifying a possible window for MC12. With respect to the 
dates more specifically, he had heard the majority of delegations expressing a clear preference for 
reconv ening MC12 in the week of 13 June for a range of reasons. In the discussion however, he had 
also heard a few delegations expressing some constraints with this week. As he had said at the end 
of the meeting, he had subsequently reached out to those delegati ons to continue the conversation 
and explore possibilities of a compromise. As a result of the discussions on 22 February and of the 
follow -up conversations, including that morning in the Informal GC that had taken place before the 
resumption of this forma l meeting, it was his understanding that Members would be in the position 
to agree that MC12 was reconvened in the week of 13 June 2022, with exact dates to be defined.  
5.6  The General Council so agreed .  
5.7  The Director -General  said that 13 June was her birthday  which could mean that Members should 
deliver a good Ministerial Conference. That would be her birthday present.  
5.8  The Chair  believed that never had a Conference been so eagerly awaited as MC12. It was his 
sincere hope, and he knew that was widely shared, th at the long wait was over and that the 
Conference could finally take place in 2022. He urged Members to work together, with the primary 
objective in mind, that the Conference would provide the WTO, and delegations in Geneva, with an 
opportunity to demonstr ate that the WTO could deliver. He urged Members to make MC12 count.  
5.9  The General Council took note  of the statements4. 
6  WTO RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC – REPORT BY THE CHAIR  
6.1.  The Chair reported5 that, throughout 2021, including after the postponement of MC12, 
Members had continued to strongly support the delivery of a credible, balanced, meaningful and 
holistic multilateral WTO response to the pandemic. The work of Ambassador David Walker (New 
Zealand), as Facilitator, had resulted in a report to the General Council in November 2021, in view 
of MC12. He had presented, under his own responsibility, a draft Ministerial declaration and a draft 
Action Plan on pandemic response, preparedness, and resil ience, issued in JOB/GC/281. In response 
to calls made by delegations, he had convened an Informal Open -Ended Meeting on 26 November 
to continue this conversation. He had invited delegations to share their views on the revised draft 
texts, as prepared and presented by the Facilitator. Following the postponement of MC12, he had 
met with delegations in various configurations. In his consultations, it had been evident that 
Members had wished to continue working towards a credible WTO response to the pandemic. It had 
also been underscored that progress on the TRIPS Waiver had been key to a credible, balanced and 
holistic response to the pandemic. He had met with delegations in various configurations and his 
reports had been circulated in documents JOB/GC/288, JO B/GC/289 and JOB/GC/291. He 
acknowledged the amount of work done by Members since the beginning of the Facilitator -led 
process, including intense discussions under various themes identified and commended delegations 
for the extensive efforts.  
6.2.  Delegations w ould also recall that he had consulted on the request to hold a Ministerial 
Conference dedicated to the WTO pandemic response as had been proposed by the delegation of 
India and also on how to move the pandemic response work forward. After his consultation s, three 
things had been apparent: (i) Members' willingness to continue this work in tandem with the process 
in the TRIPS Council, (ii) the need for a pragmatic approach – building on the body of work done 
last year, and (iii) the importance of ensuring tr ansparency and inclusiveness. As such, he had 
offered the Castillo Cocktail – that was, meeting in different configurations including in a 
representative group. He had welcomed all delegations who had expressed interest in participating 
in the discussions.  Their work had focused on the themes identified in the Facilitator's text to 
ascertain Members' shared objectives on those themes, verify if those objectives had been reflected 
 
4 At the request of the delega tions of Chad (LDCs), Nepal and Paraguay, the statements  sent to the 
Secretariat  are incorporated in the minutes of this meeting under this agenda item and can be found in Annex 1 
of this document.  
5 The report by the General Council was subsequently circu lated in document JOB/GC/296.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  in the text, whether improvements had been needed, if so, how, and whether new  themes needed 
to be added.  
6.3.  They had discussed the Preambular/Introductory Part and the section on Transparency and 
Monitoring in the Representative Group. Thereafter, he had shared a compilation of Members' views 
on each topic grouped with all of the par agraphs in the Facilitator's Text under the relevant headings. 
While Members all agreed on the need for a meaningful WTO response to the pandemic and to build 
resilience for future ones, this process had revealed that the Castillo Cocktail needed a recalib ration 
of ingredients. It had become clear that for a productive discussion to take place, Members had 
needed to first arrive at a common understanding of the objective, what constituted a WTO Response 
and how to collectively act. In other words, the signi ficant difference amongst the membership not 
only with regard to the coverage but how and on what basis a collective response should be built 
needed to be resolved first. Given this situation, a strategic pause had been called on 3 February to 
allow Member s to reach out to each other on these fundamental questions.  
6.4.  To assist him in finalizing his report to the General Council, he had reconvened the 
Representative Group on 17 February to hear from Members about their efforts during the phase of 
the strategic pause. He had been heartened to hear that most Members continued to prioritize a 
prompt, meaningful, holistic, and balanced WTO response to the pandemic. During the meeting, the 
proponents of documents JOB/GC/292 and JOB/GC/293 had provided the g enesis of their 
submissions. He had also heard about the outreach efforts that delegations had been undertaking – 
reaching out to understand different viewpoints and seeing how different perspectives could be 
bridged in a manner that would allow forward mo vement. So, the pause had been useful. And he 
thanked delegations for their willingness to continue engaging to build a credible WTO response. He 
had heard delegations state that they had seen value in maintaining an open space for further 
exchanges amongs t themselves. In this regard, several delegations had requested for a bit more 
time to continue their outreach.  
6.5.  As he had said at the beginning, there was a broad shared sense of urgency for a meaningful 
response. And a lot of work had already been done. T herefore, building on this should not be difficult 
once there was a common understanding that all Members could live with. It was also worth pointing 
out that while Members were yet to concretely conclude this process, Members and the Secretariat 
had not s tood still during this two -year period. Since the outset of the pandemic, delegations had 
for example contributed to and recognized the valuable work done in the WTO's monitoring 
mechanism. Members had also been actively participating in discussions on pan demic -related 
matters in WTO Bodies. The Secretariat had published useful information notes on its COVID -19 
page on several trade -related issues including supply chain bottlenecks. The Director -General had 
also done an enormous amount of work – reaching ou t to vaccine manufacturers, working with other 
international organizations and with Members at different levels and configurations. All these efforts 
were testament to their determination for the WTO to credibly respond to this and future pandemics. 
He hop ed that this show of solidarity – that did not often make the news headlines – gave all 
Members more inspiration to conclude this final lap in their collective response.  
6.6.  At the same time, Members needed to face reality. The pandemic had been with them for 
nearly two years. Lives had been lost and livelihoods seriously impacted. No region of the world had 
been immune. Now, while one could not predict with certainty the evolution of the pandemic in the 
next few months, some delegations had noted during the Re presentative Group meeting the previous 
week that some countries had started to lift their restrictions – which was a positive sign. In this 
regard, they had cautioned about the legitimacy of the value added with a possibly late WTO 
Response if they did no t act immediately. The should therefore redouble their efforts and be ready 
to show further flexibility. He had detected willingness of delegations to negotiate and be further 
flexible at the previous week's Representative Group. He had detected a broad wi llingness to improve 
the Facilitator's text including with recent submissions that he had heard some said had been useful. 
Although significant gaps remained to be bridged, he hoped that that day, all Members could 
recognize that they were much closer to a  multilateral outcome than they probably believed. As 
Chair, that was how he saw it.  
6.7.  If everyone could be pragmatic, focus on the points of convergence and leave aside the 
divergences, he had no doubt that they could get this done. They could make this ha ppen. At this 
point, he thanked all Members for their support and active engagement since they had begun this 
process in 2021. He commended all of them for their efforts and the amount of work done so far. 
He encouraged all of them to continue reaching out  to each other and working together to find a WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  mutually agreeable path forward. He had already discussed this matter with his successor, 
Ambassador Chambovey. He asked Members to go back to the principle of solidarity that had united 
them to work on a multi lateral pandemic response and act together to deliver that comprehensive 
multilateral pandemic response that the world had been waiting for.  
6.8.  The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
6.9.  We thank you , Chair,  for the great efforts and appre ciate your active role on moving the process 
forward since last December . For China, we always see the WTO Response to the Pandemic as the 
most pressing issue. The positive message we received in our engagement with other Members is 
that all Members are st ill committed to reaching a multilateral outcome on this issue despite  
Members ' divergent views. So, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few points with a 
view to facilitating the coming consultations . First, China believes that the priori ty of our work under 
the current circumstances is to ensure a multilateral outcome with a pragmatic level of ambition to 
be delivered as soon as possible. We are committed to working with other Members to achieve an 
outcome as early as possible.  Second, fl exibility is important. We all agree that this political 
declaration should not alter Members ' rights and obligations. This principle should be well -observed 
in the whole document discussion – not only defending the positions but also raising the requests.  
Third, the Walke r Text is a good basis to work on. We thank 278 co -sponsors for circulating the 293 
document and reaching out to other Members which reflected the spirit of flexibility and cooperation. 
Significant issues such as IP and food security that people have been suffer ing from should be an 
integral part of our response to the pandemic. We call on Members to show sympathy and engage 
constructively to address these issues in an appropriate way with a view to finding a landing zone. 
Simple objection is not a way out. Introducing controversial debate s taking place in other WTO 
bodies into this process would be even worse.  China will actively participate in any format of 
discussions that will be held in the coming days and months. In the meantime, more outreach among 
Members themselves will also be very helpful to move the process forward.  China will continue to 
constructively engage in the process and stand ready to work together with all Members to achieve 
a multilateral outcome.  
6.10.   The representative of Pakistan  delivered the following statement:  
6.11.   Pakistan would like to deliver this statement on behalf of the co -sponsors of document 
JOB/GC/278/Rev.3, namely Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda and  the 
Bolivarian Republic of  Venezuela and welcoming our new co -sponsor, the Plurinational State of 
Bolivia. This is perhaps the most important file for the WTO to conclude right now in terms of the 
ongoing global situation . We remain fully cogni zant of the  need for the WTO to provide credible, 
meaningful and substantive response to the ongoing pandemic and in doing so prepare for future 
pandemics or disasters. This would mean creating a forward -looking document while acknowledging 
all the important issues t he pandemic has alerted us to . Issues particularly important to developing 
countries will remain of prime importance. We would therefore like to assure you and the 
Membership that our Group has been and will continue to engage actively and positively to ac hieve 
a fruitful outcome. In this regard, we have taken the lead to share with the Membership in the 
interest of complete transparency and with the view to moving forward two documents. First  is 
JOB/GC/292 which is a compilation in the form of a so -called composite text of all inputs provided 
by the reference group created by Ambassador Walker . The content of th is document precedes the 
circulation of the Facilitator's text. Second  is JOB/GC/293 which contains very specific insertions by 
our Group into the Facilitator's text in document JOB/GC/281. This  is an attempt on our side to take 
the first step by accepting the Facilitator 's text in  JOB/GC/ 281 as a basis for further work by 
introducing changes which in our view would balance the text and by reaching ou t to other 
delegations with  openness and  willingness to work on these insertions and to find a balanced 
language to reach  a landing  zone. As delegations have already noted and will note , we have shown 
considerable flexibility in providing our insertions to  the text in a spirit of compromise and in an 
effort to reach an acceptable landing  zone. In this regard, Chair, we would like to thank you, in 
particular, for leading this process and providing  the opportunity for frank and open exchanges. 
While our Group did not call for this strategic pause , we have been able to utili ze this p eriod quite 
effectively by reaching out to many delegations in an effort to listen to their views and carry out 
constructive engagement. We aim to continue in this process with othe r delegations and hope to 
arrive towards language that could gain consensus. We have complete faith in your leadership of 
this process  and look forward to concluding this file under your leadership going forward.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.12.   The representative of Turkey  delivered the following statement:  
6.13.   The WTO as a centre of global trade has set considerable contribution s to the response to the 
pandemic . The relationship between trade and health is apparent . Putting the WTO's response to 
the pandemic in writing has been  long overdue . The last attempt has also shown widely diverging 
views among Members . As Turkey has stated from the very beginning , this should be a process of 
compromise and necessitates pragmatism . We believe that the Walker Text which might not be fully 
satisfactory to everyone reflected such pragmatism and therefore serves as a good basis for the 
much -needed outcome. Based on this approach of pragmatism and flexibility required at this time 
of negotiations, Turkey is ready to start working on the Walker Text and remain open to suggestions. 
We hope everyone has made an effort in this strategic pause to narrow their differences and try to 
arrive at common objectives in terms of the WTO's response. Otherwise, we risk having a Declaration 
that is very belated  for the current pandemic. As always, Turkey remains ready to engage in 
constructive dialogue for tangible result in this area.  
6.14.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
6.15.   Nigeria refer s to its statements on this issue at the previous General Council meeting and 
reaffirm s its supports for the Facilitator -led Process. The process so far has remained open, 
transparent and inclusive. We look forward to outcomes that would underpin global efforts to ramp 
up and diversify the global producti on of and promote equitable access to vaccines. Such outcomes 
should effectively address IP issues and foster access to technology and know -how as well as provide 
for effective technical assistant and capacity building. It is also of critical importance th at the 
outcomes do not result in depleti ng existing policy space and rights of developing Members . Nigeria 
would continue to engage constructively on this issue towards the delivery of a win -win outcome.  
6.16.   The representative of Switzerland , speaking under ag enda items 6 and 7 , delivered the 
following statement:  
6.17.   Trade and health elements as well as the role of IP are both discussed as part of the WTO 
pandemic response. In our eyes, such a response must be meaningful, comprehensive and balanced. 
Let me elaborate on what I mean by this. Meaningful means that we need  to look at the actual 
challenges on the ground. We know that the WTO offers a real potential to address challenges linked 
to export restrictions, transparency and customs procedures. An adequate level of ambition in these 
elements is part and parcel of an y meaningful response that brings about a real difference on the 
ground. Comprehensive means a response that includes all these elements. An isolated process on 
IP without adequate progress on trade barriers and transparency is not conducive to consensus, nor 
to our common objectives. To recall, Switzerland is convinced that IP has played a positive role in 
fighting this pandemic effectively. This positive role must be reflected in any outcome. Balanced 
means that we need to have a calibration of the level of ambition and commitments on the IP part 
and the trade -related aspects. Achieving such a meaningful, comprehensive and balanced solution 
requires an inclusive and transparent process on IP and the other trade and health elements. We 
note with concern the  discussions in a very restrictive format that have been ongoing for many 
weeks already without any adequate reporting. I just recently looked at a quite telling report from 
the Secretariat. This report indicates that Switzerland is the world's third large st exporter of medical 
goods. In fact, these goods amount to one-third of our total exports which should give you a clear 
picture of how much importance my delegation attaches to this issue. Furthermore, we are among 
the top 10 patent holders on pharmaceut icals. Switzerland therefore expects to be part of any small 
group. With regard to the other trade and health elements, the strategic pause in those consultations 
has proved to be very helpful in allowing different Members to reach out to each other and ex change 
views. We are engaged in consultations with several Members and have a clearer understanding of 
their position and requests. We are willing to look further into possible landing zones in order to 
reach a meaningful, comprehensive and balanced outcom e as soon as possible. That said, we must 
reiterate that the text JOB/GC/281, the so -called Walker text, is the result of intensive discussions. 
Although this text falls short of our initial ambition, it is a fact that it is currently the only basis for 
discussion. Switzerland remains committed to reaching a meaningful, comprehensive and balanced 
WTO response to the pandemic.  
6.18.   The representative of Sri Lanka  delivered the following statement:  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.19.   Sri Lanka associate s with the statement made by Pakistan on behalf  of the 278 co-sponsors. 
Sri Lanka commends you, Chair, in leading a very transparent process for advancing the work leading 
towards a well -balanced, fair and comprehensive set of measures to be delivered by the WTO in its 
response to the pandemic. It is n eedless to state that the balanced outcome should include a 
satisfactory solution on the TRIPS Waiver and robust and meaningful activities on pandemic 
preparedness and resilience so that it can be endorsed by other Ministers very soon. Sri Lanka and 
the 278 co-sponsors have been supporting you on your efforts since you have undertaken this 
subject from Ambassador Walker, as narrated by Pakistan, in order to preserve the outcome 
document and the character of a fair and balanced reflection of concerns of all Members. The Group 
has been actively involved in this process while having an area of bilateral engagement with both 
the like -minded Members and the opponents to identify areas where convergence is possible and 
there is a means as to how we can work togeth er to iron out those diverging areas and look forward 
to having further meetings with other s. It is also equally important to have a Facilitator or a Friend 
of the Chair who  can lead us in reaching towards a well -balanced, fair and comprehensive set of 
measures. Our preferred format would be a continuation of this process with you, Chair, l eading it. 
We recommend that you continue to facilitate  this process even when you are no longer the GC 
Chair. You will still be part of the troika and this will not be a  departure from practices already 
established in this institution. In addition to your valuable institutional memory and demonstrated 
commitment in always ensuring  transparency, openness and inclusiveness , we wish to see you 
continuing as the Facilitator o f this file in your personal capacity. This arrangement will avoid 
Members wasting time negotiating on the same issues over and over again under another Facilitator. 
Our honest expectation is that your successor, Ambassador Chambovey, will take this justif ication 
into serious consideration and take a decision at the interest of this institution and of the  Members. 
As we have already cautioned about the development of new or amended Facilitator -led text s, this 
should only be done when there is consensus amon g Members for a Facilitator to come out with a 
text under his or her own responsibility and should be the last result to be adopted. Sri Lanka states 
its desire to work with all Members in anticipation of a well -balanced, fair and comprehensive set of 
meas ures to be delivered by the WTO in response to the pandemic.  
6.20.   The representative of Chinese  Taipei  delivered the following statement:  
6.21.   I join others in welcoming new Permanent Representatives and bid farewell to the Permanent 
Representative of Fiji. I also express our appreciation to the highly respected friend  of all Members,  
Mr. Victor Do Prado , and wish him all the best in his future endeavour . We wish that  Victor will 
continue contributing his experience and wisdo m to the WTO community.  On this agenda item, the 
aim of the WTO response to the pandemic should be crystal clear  – to save lives and livelihood. The 
sense of urgency is also widely shared by Members. With all these in mind, I trust Members need to 
show pra gmatism and a substantial extent of flexibility on some key issues to reach consensus with 
the bottom line in mind that we are entrusted with the task of saving lives and livelihood through a 
declaration to address various aspects which are essential to ac hieve this ultimate goal.  We thank 
you, Chair,  for your efforts and hope that you will continue helping Members to move toward s 
concluding the long -expected declaration at MC12.  We reaffirm our commitment in substantively 
contributing to the discussions.  
6.22.   The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
6.23.   Brazil believes that WTO rules have a key role to play in this and in future pandemics. We 
support a Ministerial Decision that confirms the relevance of international trade and the rules -based 
multilateral trading system when facing challenges posed by current and future pandemics. In this 
sense, we regard the Walker text as a balanced, comprehensive and flexible basis for discussions.  
6.24.   The representative of the United Kingdom  delivered the follo wing statement:  
6.25.   Let me start by echoing everybody else and bidding a very fond farewell to our very cherished 
Fijian colleague with whom I had a pleasure to work with not just in this organization but at the 
Human Rights Council and also to welcome the var ious new colleagues . I hope that our discussions 
in the next couple of days do not discourage them but rather that they can claim that their arrival 
has led to this timely decision to set a date for the Ministerial Conference. Our Australian colleague 
earlier was reminding us of the importance and value of dates but now we have that date, and it is 
very important that we can focus on how to take this work forward. Like others, we thought of the 
Walker Text, if I can use that term with all due respect to our  new New Zealand colleague, was a 
decent basis for work. It was less ambitious, far less ambitious, than we would have liked in many WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  respects, but it was a good basis for work. We thank you , Chair, for your efforts to take that work 
forward and we really appreciate the work that the Director -General has done over the last year to 
work on this issue, not least through the cooperation with the WHO and with WIPO and indeed with 
the private sector and others to focus on solutions that actually help us d eliver vaccines in arms. I 
think it is really important  that we recognize the work that we have done as an organization over 
the last year and recognize what we have heard and what we have learned from each other, from 
the private sector, from other intern ational organizations about the issues that people have faced, 
whether that be about supply chains or about export restrictions or about transparency or about IP, 
and we work to find solutions in this. We do not think that IP has been a barrier to these ef forts. 
Over the past couple of years, IP has been an enabler of our efforts to confront this pandemic . But 
we recognize that we need to find solutions to make our way forward and we need to do so urgently. 
We need to see progress made on these issues over the next few weeks or months so that we can 
come forward to MC12 with a package of measures that actually respond to the real world issues 
that are faced by this pandemic and by preparing for future pandemics and also the real risks of 
anti-microbial resis tance which require us to work together collaboratively as Members but also as 
organizations to find solutions that actually make a difference in the world.  
6.26.   The representative of Malaysia , speaking und er agenda items 6 and 7 , delivered the following 
statem ent: 
6.27.   I join other colleagues in welcoming all the new  Permanent Representatives  to Geneva and 
thank those departing ones and Mr. Victor  do Prado. I wish them all the best  in their future 
endeavours.  We thank you , Chair, for your leadership in ensuring that  the work on the WTO 
Response to the Pandemic continues.  While we witness some developed Members returning to 
normalcy, it  is very unfortunate that many developing and LDC  Members  are still struggling in their 
fight against the pandemic.  We understand the dire need to make progress . We hope that the 
strategic pause has helped Members to reflect on the work to advanc e discussions on the WTO 's 
response to  the pandemic. On this note, we call upon all Members to engage constructively based 
on the existing text and to explore key improvements, particularly the inclusion of IP elements from 
the TRIP S Waiver proposal. A balanced and inclusive outcome on the WTO's response to the 
pandemic would help Members to effectively mitigate the pandemic. While we remain cogni zant of 
the role of intellectual property rights in research and development, we believe that the urgency of 
addressing this life -threatening pandemic warrants bold er and more decisive interventions to save 
lives including through the waiving of some aspects of intellectual property rights. We view that a 
TRIPS Waiver can act as an important demonstration of global solidarity and a huge contribution on 
the part of the WTO in responding to the pandemic.  
6.28.   The representative of Brunei Darussalam  delivered the following statement:  
6.29.   Let me welcome the new Permanent Representatives  and bid farewell to Ambassador Nazhat 
Shameem Khan  of Fiji. We thank Mr. Victor do Prado for his contributions to the WTO and wish him 
well in his future undertakings. Chair, we you for the detailed report that you have provid ed under  
this agenda item. As we have said on previous occasions, it is important to have a strong response 
from the WTO on the COVID -19 pandemic to demonstrate that the WTO remains relevant and 
credible today an d that it has a real and central role to play in the global economic recovery post -
pandemic. As we have seen in various news and media coverage, the world is watching and is taking 
note. It is therefore particularly important for us during these uncertain times to show our continued 
solidarity, commitment and resolve. We understand that the gap is still wide and unbridgeable  
between the  opposing sides . It will forever be unbridgeable unless and until we work together to lay 
the foundations for the bridg e. While unpopular with some, the Walker Text represents a basis in 
this endeavour . We encourage those Members with strong positions to utilize it as such and add 
their own  views  to the text . As the D irector -General  said earlier , we are already late.  
6.30.   The representative of  the European Union , speaking under agenda  items 6 and 7 , delivered 
the following statement:  
6.31.   The pandemic has been with us for two years now. We can only be encouraged by positive 
developments such as improving figures in terms of vaccine production or the relaxing of restrictions 
in some countries. The situation remains nevertheless challenging, notably in Low Income Countries, 
but we do  not spare efforts to improve it.  The global production of vaccines has exceeded 12 b illion 
doses and millions of doses are still waiting to be used in many countries which lag behind in 
vaccination campaigns. Many Members are looking to launch production of vaccines and medicines WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  for which access to raw materials remains necessary. A political commi tment to keep markets open 
and to cooperate in the exchange of information would certainly support those goals. We all surely 
agree that access to critical information is essential for a timely management of the crisis . This is 
why the EU has proposed stro nger commitments on transparency, information sharing and 
cooperation.  The EU is committed to finding a way forward on intellectual property. We have engaged 
constructively in the discussions facilitated by the D irector -General  and continue to believe that  we 
can find a bridge between the positions of various Members between those who advocate for a 
waiver and those of us who believe that the TRIPS Agreement provides enough flexibilities to ensure 
that the enabling qualities of intellectual property can be used to the maximum.  The European Union 
has shown utmost flexibility and moved its position significantly throughout this process. We have 
moved from the declaration we proposed in June 2021 towards a solution which would allow 
Members to authori ze their m anufacturers to produce and export vaccines in the fastest possible 
manner and without red tape, with maximum flexibility as to the legal instrument used to do so. But 
in order to find a solution , flexibility is needed on both sides.  We are looking for a p ragmatic solution 
that could facilitate production of vaccines and other essential health products in regions like Africa, 
while preserving incentives for innovation and investment that are key for responding to new 
variants of COVID -19, such as omicron or  to new diseases.  We believe that if there is enough political 
will, a compromise is also possible on the Declaration and action plan on the response to the 
pandemic. The Walker Text is an important steppingstone. We need to find a balance between the 
legitimate concerns of Members to preserve policy space in adopting trade measures when there is 
a public health crisis and the expectations that trade disruptions resulting from such measures will 
be minimized so that import dependent countries have access to  essential goods.  We invite all 
Members to reflect on the best approach to team up in the coming days so that we can achieve 
progress and our Ministers can demonstrate that this organization delivers for people.  
6.32.   The representative of Chile, speaking under agenda items 2  and 6, delivered the following 
statement:  
6.33.   I would also like to start by welcoming the Permanent Representatives  who have recently 
started their role . I hope we will be able to work together towards a successful Ministerial Conference . 
I also extend my wishes to those who are leaving especially Mr. Victor  do Prado . Chile likewise 
wishes every success to Turkmenistan in its accession process. Regarding item 2, we thank the 
Director -General for her report on the fishe ries and agriculture ne gotiations.  They reflect the little 
advances that have been achieved since the Ministerial Conference was postponed  – despite the 
tireless efforts that have been made  – in order to bring us back to the negotiating table. We hope 
that the decisions undertak en under the previous agenda item will enable us to move forward in 
several areas  ahead of t he Ministerial Conference and achieve ambitious goals. This will require a 
clear work  programme . Chile 's position on each of these areas is clear . As such , we will focus on the 
WTO's response to the pandemic.  Regarding item 6 , I would like to highlight the importance of this 
point for my country and all of us who hope to achieve a WTO Response to the Pandemic. As it has 
been highlighted, over the last weeks we have s een how some countries have started to lift their 
health measures which might be a sign of hope. However, a good portion of the planet is still being 
affected by the virus . So, we need to keep up our efforts in order to maintain the production of 
vaccines at a global level . It is important for the WTO to raise its voice in this regard . As such , we 
are concerned  with the current state of play of discussions.  We will continue to reflect on the 
appropriate measures that Member States should adopt during the pa ndemic . Over the last two 
years , we have promoted a holistic approach with ambitious outcomes in terms of exports, customs 
processes and transparency, among other s. We ha ve also referred to the importance of trade 
facilitation to build resilience for future ones. T hese have been developed on the bas is of specific 
problems which we have experienced and which have been broadly ratified by the industry in the 
various workshops promoted by the WTO. Our delegation is aware that an outcome on this area 
requires a n outcome on th e TRIPS discussions. B oth pillars need to move forward in parallel without 
either of them being conditioned by the other because each of them contributes individually to our 
response to the pandemic. We would like to emphasize that a mere po litical declaration without 
technical deliverables is not a response . It is just an excuse to p rolong  discussions . So, we urge all 
delegations to negotiate in good faith in the process ahead of us .  
6.34.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
6.35.   We join other delegations in thanking you , Chair,  for your leadership and the way in which 
you have driven the negotiations on th e WTO's response to the COVID -19 pandemic. The fact that WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  we appreciate your w ork does not  diminish  the appreciation we have for the Director -General who , 
since t aking up this role, has sought to provide concrete responses to address or resolve the issue 
of access to vaccines in the various stages  of production. Chair, you spoke of pragmatism,  of listening 
to each other  and of the ability of each stakeholder to compromise . Above all , you invited us to 
foster a clear specific response. There  is not much to add to what you have said . It simply must be 
sad that , to date , we are behind. The official COVID -19 death toll is 5.9 million deaths  – which is 
even underestima ted. We do not want to come back to the effects of this pandemic when it comes 
to social life, economic aspects and so on . We all agreed and we are listening to each other that our 
response should be global  – addressing both the current pandemic and future ones . The African 
Group remains fully committed to a multilateral ly agreed WTO Response to the Pandemic with the 
TRIPS Waiver as an integral part. As pointed by the WHO Director -General , vaccine inequity and 
health inequity overall were the biggest failure of last year . Let us take this into account. According 
to Africa CDC , just over 12% of the African population is fully vaccinated compared to high income 
countries who have over 72% of the population vaccinated. The African Group therefore reiterates 
that any response must take into account the issue of access to vaccines and therapeutics including 
the TRIPS Waiver. Our response should also give us appropriate tools to address future pandemics 
and avoid most of the challenges that we faced during th e current one . During t he AU -EU Summit , 
five new African countries have been selected by the WHO to host mRNA technology vaccine hubs. 
We welcome this positive move . I call on further strengthening such partnership. These voluntary 
steps should not elude challenges posed by IP barriers . We recall that IP barriers should not pose 
obstacles to realizing the full potential of any initiative in scaling up and diversifying the pr oduction 
of vaccines. Consequently, we invite all parties to work towards addressing IP barriers in order to 
overcome the health crisis and prevent future ones. We should not consistently repeat that IP does 
not pose any barrier . As minor as it may be, any  barrier should be lift ed. As we consistently said , 
there is no panacea . We should have a compromise of measures or an aggregate of measures that 
enable us to overcome this pandemic and address future ones. On JOB/GC/281 , we are ready to 
engage constructiv ely and we have used the strategic pause to consult with Members. We also 
welcome the position of various delegations that this document can be a basis for negotiations. At 
this time, we reiterate our support to your leadership , Chair. Your facilitation of fers the best chance 
of a mutually agreeable WTO Response to the Pandemic. This outcome is long overdue and its 
finalization will really enhance the credibility of this institution . 
6.36.   The representative of Bangladesh  delivered the following statement:  
6.37.   Bangladesh joins other delegations in welcom ing the new Permanent Representatives. We 
wish them all the best in their work at the WTO.  We also wish the very best to the outgoing 
Permanent Representative  of Fiji , Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan . To the retir ing Director of 
the Council and TNC Division , Mr. Victor do Prado, Bangladesh wishes him the best for his future 
endeavour s. We will fondly remember his valuable contribution and ever responsive support to  
delegations. Bangladesh congratulates the Director -General  on her completion of one year in office.  
We wish her every success during the coming days and months. We align with the statement 
delivered by Chad on behalf of the LDCs. The WTO's response to the pandemic is our top priority 
and we strongly beli eve that the WTO must deliver an outcome on this issue.  Chair, we appreciate 
your efforts and commitment in building convergence on the text provided by the Facilitator , 
Ambassador  Walker , in JOB/GC/281 which currently lacks consensus. This document may se rve as 
a reference paper a nd based on further suggestions and feedback from Members, the outcome could 
be finali zed. In this regard, we are thankful to the recent initiative of the so -called Castillo Cocktail. 
To respond to your call, Chair, a group of Mem bers have provided textual suggestions . Some of 
them, including the proponents of JOB/GC/278, have requested to consider their already constructed 
text to be incorporated as the suggested text. Bangladesh endorses the idea that all the suggestions 
in this regard should aim to help finalize the response outcome. Last year, before the sudden 
postponement of MC12, you , Chair,  engaged delegations to finalize the MC12 outcome document in 
an open and transparent manner. The discussion on the MC12 outcome began wi th a primary text. 
Later, through your facilitation, continuous feedback from delegations and intensive discussions 
helped construct the MC12 draft outcome almost to a final shape. That is  a good example of work 
in progress. In the same spirit, my delegati on requests to continue work on the WTO Response to 
Pandemic based on the available texts, including the elements from JOB/GC/278 and J OB/GC/29 3, 
and the other textual suggestions from Members or groups of Members to ensure that everyone 's 
concerns are add ressed in a transparent and inclusive manner.  Bangladesh looks forward to 
engaging constructively with other delegations.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.38.   The representative of Singapore , speaking under agenda items 6 and 7 , delivered the 
following statement:  
6.39.   Thank you, Chair, for your untiring efforts in exploring ways to make progress on this very 
important issue. Let me borrow your analogy of the Castillo cocktail . Like every good cocktail, we 
first must have an idea of the recipe . We should also decide what  constitutes the base alcohol as 
well as the right balance of the other ingredients and garnishes that go into the cocktail. Allow me 
to suggest three ingredients which I think are essential for a good cocktail. First, the base alcohol, 
which is the most i mportant component of the cocktail, must be a credible and substantive response 
that prepares us for future pandemics. The response must be holistic and comprehensive and 
address important issues such as exports restrictions and prohibition, transparency a nd monitoring, 
trade facilitation and IP and regulatory coherence. While we may not be frontline health workers 
treating COVID -19 patients, the WTO is at the front line in ensuring that Members work together to 
reinforce supply chain connectivity which is a crucial component of any response to the pandemic. 
Second, it is imperative that our discussions on the TRIPS Waiver proposal and the pandemic 
response should take into account the evolving reality of the situation on the ground. When the 
COVID -19 pandem ic first hit two years ago there was quite understandably widespread panic 
because it was a novel coronavirus and there was no vaccine. Two years on, this situation has 
changed . Today, there are ten different vaccines approved by the WHO including those th at use the 
ground -breaking mRNA technology. According to a recent report of the International Federation of 
Pharmaceutical Manufacture rs and Associations, 11 billion COVID -19 vaccines were produced in 
2021 which represented an unprecedented increase from t he 31 million produced in 2020. In fact, 
the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla, announced in December 2021 that he 
would cut its production of vaccines by 50% due to a lack of orders from governments. According 
to UNICEF data on supplies  and the use of delivered vaccines, more than 681 million shipped doses 
are currently unused. There are also media reports that countries have rejected more than 100 
million doses of vaccines distributed by COVAX due to insufficient storage facilities. In short, the 
challenge is no longer one of vaccine supply but of vaccine distribution and administration  – in other 
words, getting vaccines into the arms of people. Third, Members must seriously commit to adopt a 
win-win approach to find common landing  zones . We must ask ourselves honestly how we can 
contribute to formulate a credible response to the pandemic and refrain from opportunistically 
pushing our own issues to serve domestic political expediency. Instead, Members must focus on 
moving forward and avoi d starting discussions from scratch. We are all familiar with the saying that 
"insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". The text 
prepared by Ambassador David Walker represents a solid basis for us to continue d iscussions . It is 
a valuable distillation of extensive consultations among all Members. As always, Singapore stands 
ready to do whatever we can in contributing towards a credible, pragmatic and holistic response to 
the pandemic.  
6.40.   The representative of Barbados, on behalf of CARICOM , delivered the following statement:  
6.41.   The CARICOM Group in Geneva thanks you , Chair,  for taking the initiative to continue our 
work on the WTO Response to the Pandemic and for your report today. We note that recent work 
has in part  focused on procedure and matters of process rather than on issues of substance or the 
emergence of a tangible WTO Response to the Pandemic. At the same time, other international 
organi zations have overcome their internal challenges to conclude work in the ir respective areas . 
The challenges in many of the small Members like those in CARICOM continue to be disproportionate 
and impact on our ability to trade and develop economically. History will judge us harshly, firstly, as 
countries who did not see the urg ency in addressing a global issue which has so manifestly impacted 
on the raison d’être of this organi zation and secondly, as countries who could not rise above our 
ability to focus on our divergences, to focus on areas where there are clear convergences a nd that 
can make a real difference on the ground for those among us who need it the most. Our small size 
coupled by our inherent economic and structural vulnerabilities have meant that extraordinarily high 
trade and transportation costs, burgeoning debt le vels and supply chain disruptions have become 
synonymous with our COVID -19 era realities. We are acutely aware that despite the degree and 
areas of impact, each WTO Member has felt the deleterious impact of the pandemic . Despite what 
may appear to some loo king on as initial inertia, a narrow window of opportunity continues to exist 
for us to deliver on what can be regarded as a timely and effective WTO response to the current and 
future pandemics. Chair, the CARICOM Group believes that with your leadership, pragmatism and a 
focus on areas where there can be convergence, we could be well positioned to join other 
organi zations by highlighting the relevance and ability of the WTO to play its part to ward against 
and respond to global issues affecting  trade.  The CARICOM Group stands ready to contribute to WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  getting us to that point.  The CARICOM Group aligns with the statement to be delivered by Jamaica 
on behalf of the ACP Group.  
6.42.   The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , on behalf of the OE CS, delivered the 
following statement:  
6.43.   We associate with the statements by Barbados on behalf of CARICOM and Jamaica on behalf 
of the ACP . Chair,  we want to thank you for your commitment to transparency and for ensuring the 
participation of all Members in securing a WTO outcome on this very important matter. The OECS is 
already on record in stating its profound disappointment that , three years into the pandemic , we are 
yet to agree on a robust WTO response to the biggest health crisis of all time. We are al so on record 
in expressing our openness to continue our work on the Facilitator -led text contained in JOB/GC/ 281. 
We have also called on Members to be careful not to undo the progress already secured and to 
instead focus on those areas which require additi onal work. We call on all delegations to be open to 
compromises  without being too prescriptive on process. The OECS is committed to work in any 
configuration deemed necessary to bring our efforts to a successful conclusion ahead of MC12. 
Specifically , on the intellectual property dimension, we call for an amicable and urgent resolution. 
The OECS is open to an outcome which does not preclude any relevant IP solution from being 
incorporated into a final outcome. We intend to be constructive in this process  and urge the 
Membership to exercise its collective resolve to bring an urgent resolution to this matter.  
6.44.   The representative of Peru delivered the following statement:  
6.45.   Peru is one of the most affected countries by COVID -19. We consider it a priority of the WT O 
to provide a response which ensures that we stand in solidarity on this matter . As the  multilateral 
system is coming into question , it is important tha t we resolve th is crisis rapidly before it becomes 
multi-dimensional  in nature . We have  not yet found the responses on how , why and what this 
organization can do to mitigate this pandemic. We are currently heading to the third year of the 
worst crisis of our times and yet we continue to lack solidarity. The WTO has to continue to safeguard 
economic g rowth and progress which have, in many cases, taken years to achieve and have been 
severely impacted by the pandemic. In order to avoid losing this decade, we need to make every 
effort  leading up to the next Ministerial Conference in order to foster constr uctive dialogue and  to 
create a solution as briefly as possible.  Chair, it has been painful the way in which we have learned 
that we lack resilience particularly in the face of a pandemic and how it can have a disastrous impact 
on the lives and livelihoods  of our people. In the face of these challenges , we need to look forward. 
In this respect, the WTO is in a position to provide solutions capitalizing on the lessons learned over 
the last 24 months. These lessons should help us to continue developing in a r esilient and sustainable 
manner. Peru would like to reiterate its support for the Walker document and its desire to continue 
negotiating on this basis . Despite the differences between Members , we should continue to work 
harder in order to overcome these ga ps and build bridges.  
6.46.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
6.47.   Until now we have been spending excessive time dealing with the plethora of initiatives and 
the increasing number of documents on the WTO COVID response o n the table. At the beginning of 
this process in June last year, Russia suggested that the final outcome should take the form of a 
Declaration containing a strong political signal . We could have adopt ed such a declaration six months 
ago but until now we ha ve not even decided on the format and the scope of the paper. In this regard, 
Russia urges Members to be realistic and pragmatic . Due to existing divergences of positions and 
conflicting proposals on the table , we still have no other option tha n a Politica l Declaration with "best 
efforts " wording. Ambassador Walker's text seems to be the most optimistic basis for the t ext-based 
work in this regard. Russia 's priorities are well -known . The scope of existing rights and obligations 
of Members should  not be chan ged. The encouragement for the recognition of vaccine certificates 
which supports both medical production and trade especially trade in such services sectors as 
transport and tourism, which are mostly affected by the pandemic, should be included into the t ext. 
There should be the incentive to facilitate the flows involved in the creation of medi cine production. 
Concerning the IP issue, we suggest making a decision on how to reflect the outcomes of the ongoing 
consultation once we achieve them. If we merge t hese two tracks  – the general WTO Response to 
the Pandemic and its IP aspect  – we risk to fail  on both. From our side, we remain committed to the 
"Castillo cocktail" process and ready to engage in further discussions.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.48.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
6.49.   On the WTO’s response to the pandemic, we need to produce multilateral outcome as early 
as possible without backsliding on our discussion so far.  Japan supports a holistic approach that 
include s both intellectual property on the one hand and non -IP aspects, such as export restrictions, 
transparency, and trade facilitation, on the other. WTO response must be composed to harvest both 
IP area and non -IP area. Assuming that we achieve some form of l egally binding outcome in the 
area of IP, it is completely unacceptable that we end up with a WTO -minus outcome overall. If the 
Ministerial Declaration is watered down and most of its content is dedicated to the Action Plan, we 
will not even be able to say  to the world that the outcome for non -IP areas is a balanced one in 
comparison with that achieved in the area of IP. Furthermore, we would like to point out that 
promoting e -commerce can serve to counter the pandemic. Therefore, in the case that we introd uce 
unprecedented flexibility in TRIPS, we consider it all the more important to maintain the current 
practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions that help to counter the 
pandemic.  From the above perspective, we support the Walker t ext in JOB/GC/281 as the basis for 
future discussions. In particular, we would like to maintain the level of ambition described in the text 
at a minimum, especially for elements such as export restrictions and transparency.  
6.50.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , delivered the following statement:  
6.51.   We take this opportunity to thank you Chair for your relentless efforts to drive the process 
forward in terms of agreeing on the role of the WTO in tackling the current pandemic as well as 
future crises . We reiterate the fact that vaccine inequity must be tackled holistically and that we are 
not in a position to consider options in the manner of "either -or". Rather , it is imperative to scale up 
production now in every developing and least -developed count ry. According to the UN Office of the 
High Representative for LDCs and landlocked developing countries and small island States, by June 
2021, only 1.2% of global COVID -19 vaccine doses had been administered in LDC s even though 
14% of the world 's population  live there. It is estimated that only around 3.1% of the population in 
LDCs had received at least one dose of a COVID -19 vaccine. This stark imbalance can only be 
addressed through a decisive and strong approach such as the adoption of the waiver. Thus, w e 
urge all Members to support developing  and least-developed countries and humanity at large by 
forging the necessary compromises and consensus to achieve the waiver. Saving lives is a priority 
and we must not waste the opportunity to showcase the relevanc e of the WTO in rising to an occasion 
such as this one.  The LDC Group submission of 2020 and the entries in our LDC Ministers ' MC12 
Declaration on the issue of the pandemic should be taken into account in the negotiations for a final 
outcome on the WTO res ponse to pandemic. We hope that the work on drafts will be inclusive and 
allow us to reach convergence quickly. We also wish to underscore the importance of transparency 
and inclusiveness in terms of process. We also note that a solution is critical on the  TRIPS waiver 
proposal currently in negotiations in the TRIPS Council.  
6.52.   The representative of  the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
6.53.   I thank you , Chair , for the report and for the efforts you have been making to lead the 
multilateral process on this important issue. The WTO as a premier organ governing our multilateral 
trading system is obliged to produce trade -related guidelines and principles for countr ies to help 
them recover from the current pandemic and prepare for future ones. However, our work on the 
WTO's response to the pandemic is indeed overdue . Things on the ground are rapidly changing day 
by day . The health authorities of many countries are re laxing their pandemic -related restrictions 
with the expectation of seeing finally light at the end of the tunnel. We here at the WTO are still 
grappling with the text. I cannot agree with you more, Chair, that our work needs to be finalized 
with a greater sense of urgency. In this regard, I welcome the agreement on dates for MC12 as 
great momentum to move forward with this issue as well. At the risk of sounding too naive perhaps 
I am still wondering why we have to wait for MC12 to finalize this urgent work  – the earlier the 
better . As my delegation stated at the previous Informal GC meeting, we may wish to explore the 
possibility of concluding this exercise as early as possible even prior to MC12. In this regard, I 
appreciate your initiative of expediting th e process of finding the convergence of Members on the 
text, noting once again that what we have been working on is a Political Declaration, not a legally 
binding document. My delegation believes that a Draft Declaration and Action Plan contained in 
JOB/GC/281, what we call Walker's text, is a solid basis. I hope that this already compromised 
document will be finalized soon without being modified or further watered down. My delegation will 
continue to work closely with other Members for the successful compl etion of this exercise so that 
the WTO will deliver something that has real impact on the lives of  the people we serve.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.54.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
6.55.   Let me start by thanking you, Chair, for your report on the strategic pau se. We have not 
called or asked for this strategic pause but I hope that this pause has helped in taking the process 
forward. We also like to thank the Chair for continuing to facilitate an inclusive and transparent 
process. The transparency meeting of 17 February was a useful opportunity for Members to be 
apprised of how the thinking is continuing to evolve on this issue. India has used this period to 
engage in fruitful discussions with several Members. We are following this process closely, and will 
continue to engage in constructive discussions with Members. We reiterate that the views of all 
Members should be considered and respected. This period of strategic pause should provide an 
opportunity to reach convergence which will reflect the views of the ent ire Membership. Our position 
remains that the current text JOB/GC/281 does not reflect the positions which so many Members 
have painstakingly and repeatedly raised. The revised text has included the positions which was not 
reflected in JOB/GC/281. This can  be the basis on which Members can work to narrow their 
divergences. The pandemic continues to have devastating and disruptive effects around the world. 
Even after repeated rounds of discussions, we are still unable to reach agreement on how to face 
the ch allenges that the pandemic has thrown up. Much work remains to be done to ensure that the 
systems and response mechanisms are in place for future pandemics and natural disasters. We must 
be mindful that the credibility of this institution depends on reachi ng a balanced, comprehensive and 
meaningful consensus. We must redouble our efforts to find a response that will address all these 
facets.  
6.56.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , speaking under agenda items 6 and 7 , 
delivered the following sta tement:  
6.57.   The ACP Group wishes to thank you , Chair,  for your report on the impact of the COVID -19 
pandemic and for your efforts in that regard. A conclusion of these discussions is long overdue. The 
ACP Group is it still studying JOB/GC/281 and interacting w ith other delegations on its continent. At 
the same time, we genuinely see JOB/GC/ 281 as an improvement to earlier versions. It can form 
the basis for further work in this area. There is, however, much room for improvement . These are 
substantive, editorial  and legal in nature. We have begun contributing to this objective even during 
the strategic pause and will continue to do so. We believe that the document can be improved to 
place more emphasis on the importance of food security in the WTO's COVID respons e initiative. 
The pandemic has induced impediments that limit access to affordable food, in respect of which the 
WTO has a critical role to play. The Group tabled a submission in JOB/AG/218, which we believe sets 
all the key issues in that regard. We would  want to see more work done on the issues pertaining to 
economic recovery, such as scaling -up manufacturing capacity in developing countries and LDCs, 
and respective to items required to contain and prevent the spread of the virus and to address its 
impact . It is important that our work here is effective in dealing with the issue of inequity and the 
availability of these items. More work is therefore needed in areas such as technology transfer, 
multilateral collaboration as well as technical assistance and capacity building. We also need to 
improve the dimension of our work that seeks to address challenges resulting in supply chain 
bottlenecks. We welcome the improvements in the area of services in JOB/GC/ 281 as these sectors 
are key cornerstones to many of our economies. Going forward , the process should be inclusive and 
transparent and all small group processes should be open to interested delegations. The ACP Group 
is requesting that we are included in sub plenary activities aiming at arriving at a final o utcome on 
the WTO's response. We expect that the facilitator process will not only focus on stabilization, 
recovery and rebuilding, but also leaves us with a blueprint, as it relates to how we respond to future 
crisis. The ACP Group will continue to suppor t this process and we do anticipate that engagements 
among Ministers on this issue should provide the necessary political guidance to concretize our 
efforts in Geneva . For this to happen, however, the onus is on us Ambassadors  to do the necessary 
preparation so that solid, relevant and appropriate recommendations can be put to our Ministers, to 
facilitate appropriate guidance and eventual adoption.  
6.58.   The work of the TRIPS Council is an important part of the response, and the ACP Group wishes 
to thank in advance the Chair of the TRIPS Council for his report to be delivered under item 7. We 
take note of reports that discussions are progressing on finding a mutually acceptable outcome on 
the TRIPS Waiver proposal, which is a critical  aspect. We look forward to the Parties arriving at a 
landing  zone for the TRIPS Waiver proposal as soon as possible. An agreement on a waiver that 
accommodates the interests and addresses the concerns of all WTO Members is an important 
component of global  efforts to address the pressing issue of inadequate  access and lack of access to 
vaccines and other items for the prevention , containment and treatment of COVID -19, particularly WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  in developing countries. Vaccination  is a critical component of Members' COVI D-19 response . Hence, 
we wish to pursue mutually acceptable initiatives that enhance accessibility to quality assurances 
both in terms of quantity and affordable pricing. The ACP Group reiterates its endorsement of the 
genuine public health objectives of t he proposal and we support proponents in their bid to contribute 
to international initiatives to ensure that our people have affordable access to medicines and 
vaccines. The Group again thanks the co -sponsors for their hard work and invite other Members to  
continue their constructive engagement in a collaborative manner with a view to finding landing  
zone that works for all Members. We reaffirm our commitment to contributing to the process with a 
view to facilitating its early and successful conclusion.  
6.59.   The representative of Guatemala  delivered the following statement:  
6.60.   The pandemic has reminded us just how much international cooperation is necessary to tackle 
global challenges. It is clear that individual efforts by Members are insufficient alone, and 
intern ational coordination, now more than ever, is essential. The WTO has a specific role and 
obligation to respond to the pandemic. Regrettably, from your report, Chair, we can see that 
differences of opinion between Members continue to be irreconcilable with r egard to the scope, form 
and way in which the W TO should respond to the pandemic. Without agreeing upon those principles, 
any text -based negotiation is condemned to fail. We therefore believe it is important to use the 
strategic pause to agree upon the sco pe, form and objectives of the pandemic response before 
initiating any text -based process.  
6.61.   The representative of Tunisia  delivered the following statement:  
6.62.   Allow me to take this opportunity to bid farewell to those Ambassadors leaving Geneva and 
to wish a warm welcome to those joining us. I would also like to congratulate Mr. Victor do Prado 
for his achievements here at the WTO . I wish him all the best for the future. Furthermore, we 
welcome Turkmenistan's request for accession, and we stand ready to suppor t them in the process. 
My delegation would also like to express our wholehearted appreciation for the work accomplished 
by the D irector -General  in the first year of her mandate. Chair, m y delegation value s the approach 
with which you are leading this proce ss since you have taken over from Ambassador Walker. We 
trust that your efforts to build transparency and inclusivity in the process and the tireless efforts 
undertaken by the D irector -General  will allow Members to move forward so that the WTO can 
produce a concrete outcome on the COVID -19 response. We endorse the statement made by 
Pakistan, on behalf of the co -sponsors of JOB/GC/ 278, and we once again express our commitment 
to a meaningful outcome from this process, which will be a barometer of the level o f success at 
MC12. Allow me to recall that the co -sponsors of  JOB/GC/ 278, since discussions  were reinitiated in 
September , have continued to express our concern with regard  to the lack of inclusiv eness  and 
representat ion in the Walker Process . We stand ready to continue to work constructively in order to 
promote a comprehensive, holistic response to the pandemic so that nobody is left behind. 
Therefore, this group will ensure that its contribution to the process reflect t he priority of the majority 
of developing countries and LDCs who have been the most vulnerable with regard to the impact of 
the pandemic. It is from that perspective that our Group has insisted that the Walker Text particularly 
take into account the need t o maintain policy space for those countries to allow them to boost their 
economic recovery and strengthen resilience, and to ensure the deployment of the full global 
potential for production of COVID -19 vaccines and therapeutics as well as to do away with the 
barriers for the diversification of the ir production including through t he TRIPS Waiver.  
6.63.   To recognize the need to tackle the issue of food security exacerbated by the pandemic, in its 
flexible approach, our group has recognized that JOB/GC/ 281 represe nts an improvement on the 
previous text, but that a certain number of issues would still have to be resolved. Therefore, and for 
greater transparency and inclusivity, the co -sponsors  of JOB/GC/ 278 requested the circulation of 
JOB/GC/ 292 and JOB/GC/ 293 and over recent weeks have intensified consultations with other 
Members and other Groups on the basis of those two texts. In light of those consultations, we believe 
that the Walker Text would benefit from greater consensus if it were to incorporate the releva nt 
observations made by many delegations  as reflected in those two documents . My delegation really 
does appreciate the cocktail that you , Chair,  offered and reiterates its readiness to share it with all 
interested Members, ensuring that we maintain the req uired flexibility in our discussions. We hope 
that all Members will, in reciprocity, demonstrate this flexibility to work on the basis of the amended 
text in order to meet the expectation of all countries and to allow the WTO to effectively contribute 
to the global efforts to fight th e current pandemic and future ones.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.64.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
6.65.   Let me begin by commending you, Chair, for your tireless efforts in this process by engaging 
Members towards achieving a common understanding and landing zone for the WTO's response to 
the pandemic, and sharing the progress report in this meeting. 164 Members of the WTO may have 
different views and expectations on WTO 's response to the pandemic based on capacity to handle 
the crisi s and willingness to extend support to others.  In this context, developing a common response 
is critical.  We, the  LDCs, may have interest to receive vaccines and other medical products in grant 
or nominal cost in a timely manner.  Additionally, support from  donor country Members for speedy 
recovery of our devastated economy in a sustainable manner is also our priority.  Furthermore, 
sufficient policy space to take appropriate measures in such situation in LDCs is also equally 
important.  It may need more flexi bility and pragmatism from the M embership to find a common 
solution to meet our broader objective of serving the people at large through this institution in a just 
and timely manner.  I reiterate the urgency of scaling up production globally to ensure acces s to 
vaccines for all.  It can be addressed through adoption of the TRIPS Waiver.  The TRIPS waiver , which 
would provide  timely access to vaccines and therapeutics in an affordable manner, and  a special 
recovery package for the LDCs , among others , are some important aspects to be incorporated in the 
response to the pandemic.  This is a time to save lives of people around the globe by showing 
flexibility and taking decisions in a more pragmatic manne r.  
6.66.   The representative of Viet Nam , speaking under agenda items 2, 5 and 6 , delivered the 
following statement:  
6.67.   We would like to thank you, Chair, for convening the meeting and also to bid farewell to 
colleagues departing Geneva . We warmly welcome the newly  arrived Ambassadors and look forward 
to work ing closely with them to reach  WTO outcome s soon . We would like to say a big thank you to 
Mr. Victor Do Prado for his excellent service to the Secretariat and the Membership . We sincerely 
wish you all the best i n your future endeavours. We thank the respective negotiating Chairs for the 
hard work. We especially thank the Director -General, as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee, 
for her dedication, tireless efforts and hard work for engaging all Members to m ove the negotiations 
towards an outcome and revitalize the WTO. Regarding the MC12 date, first, as we understand from 
yesterday's Informal GC meeting , the Membership has achieved a general consensus to hold MC12 
in-person in June. We really appreciate that . It gives us a target timeline for our negotiations . We 
expect to have charted a clear course  from now until June for the negotiations and encourage 
intensified efforts to conclude them . In this process, we hope that  the Chair will engage the 
delegations as frequently as needed together with the region al briefing s, if possible, so that we can 
regularly be updated o n the prog ress and can frankly discuss on how to move the work forward. We 
also ask for negotiations  to continue to be conducted in an  open, inclusive and transparent manner.  
6.68.   The COVID -19 pandemic is far from over . Economic and social recovery requires our collective 
efforts and a comprehensive global solution, including overcoming inequitable access to vaccines 
and other tools for better and stronger recovery from the pandemic. The WTO response to the 
pandemic as part of a global solution is still needed in an urgent manner and with an inclusive, 
practical and holistic approach. We are pleased to learn t hat you , Chair,  released a consolidated text 
Ministerial Declaration on 11 February which not only builds on the previous valuable text by  
Ambassador David Walker but also takes in to account  other Members' various inputs  – meaning that 
inclusivity has been  achieved. We are of the view that the negotiation s need to be text -based to 
come to a concrete outcome. We therefore support using your draft as a basis for our discussion on 
the WTO response to the pandemic package and especially appreciate your efforts  to forward this 
work. Given that the consolidated text has been shared, we call for intensified efforts of the 
Membership for a balanced package with a forward -looking view which  not only deal s with this 
pandemic but also enable s our future health emergenc y preparedness. I would like to reaffirm that 
my delegation will continue to actively cooperate and participate together with other delegations in 
this multilateral process towards consensus -building in this organization for us to achieve  
deliverable s as soon as possible at the latest at MC12 in June.  
6.69.   The representative of Morocco  delivered the following statement:  
6.70.   We stress the continuous support of my delegation for the unyielding efforts of the D irector -
General  and her commitment in favour of strengthen ing of global production for tools to fight COVID -
19, including vaccines as well as their equitable distribution. My country equally would like to support 
the WTO's work in guaranteeing the viability of global supply chains and to fight against all forms o f WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  protectionism and nationalism in this regard. Allow me also to thank the Chair of the General Council, 
Ambassador Dacio  Castillo , for his commitment to undertaking and continuing the work begun prior 
to that stage. The WTO must make the most of this situ ation to demonstrate its relevance in general 
but specifically in the face of global crisis by finding  a definitive, efficient and effective way to fight 
COVID -19 around the world. To do so, Members must make commitments at a political level which 
are stro ng and based on consensus  – understanding the needs which are specific to developing and 
LDC Members in the face of a pandemic a s we are still unaware of the full extent of its effects.  As a 
Member of the African Group, Morocco believes that the waiver for  the prevention, containment and 
treatment of COVID -19 must be an integral part of the envisaged  results as part of the WTO response 
to the pandemic. Whil e we continue to work for constructive results towards MC12, allowing for 
inclusive growth and sustain able development, we must bear in mind a mid - and long -term vision, 
bringing economic issues at the global level to the centre of our concerns, particularly with regard 
to the significant gaps that we have seen during the pandemic in order to guarantee equ al and 
sufficient access to finance  and technology transfer. In this light, and with the view to actively 
participate in the strengthening of health security of the African continent, the Kingdom of Morocco 
on 27 January  began its work to create a fabricat ion of facilities for vaccines and putting them into 
syringes through a public -private partnership with investment of EUR 500 million at the conclusion 
of the project  – providing  three production lines with the  hopes of reach ing 160 million doses by the 
end of 2024. Through this and other initiatives, the Kingdom of Morocco  continues to fulfil its 
objectives and work towards  effective ly contributi ng to global efforts to guarantee equitable and 
safe access to vaccines and to stren gthen the continent's preparedness to health emergencies.   
6.71.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
6.72.   On the issue of the WTO response to the pandemic, Indonesia would like to convey its 
appreciation on the efforts made by Ambassad or Castillo to find convergenc e on this important topic. 
We regret the long strategic pause that has taken place . The WTO response to the pandemic is a 
crucial issue that does not even need to wait for MC12.  The world is waiting for us, and the 
organizatio n needs to deliver a meaningful and credible outcome on this issue. To this end, we are 
flexible, whether to resume the work based on the Walker  text or the composite text. Nevertheless, 
it is important that the WTO response to the pandemic does not only a ddress the interest of all 
Members but also all sectors that are affected by the pandemic such as the issue of food security 
and the TRIPS Waiver. Our delegation cannot emphasize enough on the importance of having a 
meaningful outcome on the TRIPS Waiver. A WTO Response to the pandemic that leaves behind the 
TRIPS Waiver will lose its merit and relevance. With that in mind, Indonesia reiterates its continued 
commitment to engage constructively in all future discussions and negotiations.  
6.73.   The representative of Kenya  delivered the following statement:  
6.74.   Allow me to join other delegations in bidding farewell to the outgoing Ambassadors and 
welcome new ones to Geneva. I also commend Mr. Victor do Prado for his immense contribution to 
the WTO, especially his role i n planning and in the execution of Ministerial Conferences and wish him 
every success in his new endeavour.  I would like to thank you, Chair, for the comprehensive report 
on the status of deliberations on the WTO response to the pandemic. In this regard, K enya aligns 
with the statement delivered on behalf of the ACP and the African Group. The WTO response to the 
pandemic remains a priority for Members and ought to be concluded in time for adoption by the 
Ministerial Conference.  We commend the efforts to mak e progress in the Facilitator -led process for 
an all -inclusive outcome on how best the WTO can respond to the current pandemic and be better 
prepared for future ones. We believe that the place of intellectual property and technology transfer 
should be at t he core of these deliberations and therefore call for the conclusion of discussions on 
the TRIPS Waiver proposal for inclusion in the foreseen draft Ministerial Declaration. It is critical that 
Members be ready to share the necessary technology to produce the required vaccines, diagnostics 
and therapeutics so that we are in a better position to mitigate the impact of these pandemics on 
trade and economic stability of all Members. We remain ready to meaningfully engage in the 
deliberations on this issue.  
6.75.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
6.76.   Much of what we will be saying reiterates our statement o n 17 February. As all are aware, 
South Africa believes that the WTO must urgently approve a comprehensive response to the 
pandemic . We see the TRIPS Waiver integral to the outcome. There are five key elements of a 
pandemic response that South Africa would like to see, they are: (i) approval of a targeted and time WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  bound TRIPS Waiver in order to boost and diversify global production of vaccines, diagnostics and 
therapeutics ; (ii) d iversification of location and production, and scaling up of production capacity 
across the world, especially in Africa ; (iii)  protocols covering transparency and equity in vaccine 
contracts and pricing ; (iv) meaningful commitment to keeping supply chains open and (v) a forward -
looking TRIPS provision to address future pandemics that takes into account  the need for special 
arrangements and waivers. We would like to add that, together with the other co -sponsors of 
JOB/GC/278 , we participated actively and constructively in the Walker Process in an effort to produce 
a balanced document that places the WTO in a position to meaningfully and credibly respond  to the 
pandemic . Those consultations have thus far revealed a great degree of support for your efforts to 
ensure transparency and inclusivity. We believe that under your continued guidance the WTO can 
deliver comprehensive and credible response to the cur rent pandemic and develop tools to 
strengthen our preparedness for future pandemics. For our part, as we have done throughout the 
strategic pause, we will continue to engage constructively and remain actively engaged with other 
delegations to find a meanin gful solution.  We would like to associate ourselves with the statements 
delivered by Pakistan and the other co -sponsors of JOB/GC/ 278, Cameroon on behalf of the African 
Group and Jamaica on behalf of the ACP . 
6.77.   The representative of the Philippines , speaking  under agenda items 6 and 7 , delivered the 
following statement:  
6.78.   We extend our thanks to Mr. Victor  do Prado  and welcome the new Ambassadors . We also bid 
farewell  to our dear Ambassador  Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji . Appreciation indeed to the Director -
Genera l, yourself and the Swiss government and to our colleagues for setting the dates for MC12.  
We thank the report you have delivered today and in advance the report to be delivered by the 
TRIPS Council Chair. With respect to the outcome document that the MC12  Ministers may consider 
in order to present a response of the WTO contribution to the current situation , we have already 
endorsed JOB/GC/281 to our capital -based officials since November 2021 and we have also 
forwarded to capital elements in the small grou p text contained in JOB/GC/292. These two 
documents do not preclude delegations from submitting their textual suggestions as part of the 
MC12 preparations in earnest that  we must now start. We also welcome the updates from 
delegations on the intellectual p roperty dimension . The Philippines remains open on this issue and 
urge Members to exercise flexibility, particularly moving towards a targeted approach focused on 
vaccines. We also appreciate the proposal by the European Union to simplify elements of the 
compulsory licensing syste m. This may warrant further discussions on what measures could be 
implemented in the long -term beyond the 2020 -2021 pandemic which has now become endemic . 
We need now to focus our MC12 Ministers on  the WTO's contribution to prepare dness for future 
pandemics and increase vaccine equity and distribution.  
6.79.   The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
6.80.   We are broadly supportive of all the efforts to achieve an ambitious WTO response to the 
pandemic . For Canada , the tex t JOB/GC/281 is balanced and we must no t weaken it further if we 
are to have a credible outcome. We have heard the value of transparency over these past two years 
and a declaration needs to reflect this fact. In addition, as China mentioned about an hour a go, 
looking to introduce controversial issues that are under discussion elsewhere will not help us reach 
an outcome. In the meantime, Canada looks forward to further engage with other Members to find 
common ground and ways to address expressed concerns.  
6.81.   The representative of Argentina  delivered the following statement:  
6.82.   Argentina has participated actively in the discussions, and we have made use of the strategic 
pause to speak to other delegations. We reiterate that this issue is of utmost priority, and we believe 
that in order to be comprehensive, the response must include both trade and intellectual property 
aspects. As Panama has already pointed out on behalf of GRULAC, it is important to focus on aspects 
on which we can agree. We reitera te our commitment to continue work on the outline adopted with 
a view to concluding the negotiations as soon as possible and agreeing on a pandemic response that 
provides us with concrete tools for future work.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  6.83.   The representative of Thailand , speaking unde r agenda items 6 and 7 , delivered the following 
statement:  
6.84.   Today, nobody can top Singapore' s analogy on the Chair's  suggestion on "cocktails ". Thailand 
associates many of our views with Singapore 's presentation. We would like to emphasize our 
continuous su pport for the WTO's response to the pandemic outcome which is one of Thailand's 
MC12 priorities. We are prepared to engage with o ther Members in various configurations in order 
to arrive at a holistic approach on these issues. Having said this, our prefere nce has always been a 
holistic approach . We have nevertheless heard Members' views throughout almost one year that 
there must be an element of intellectual property in such an outcome related to the WTO pandemic . 
We acknowledge th is fact. Even though we su pport using Ambassador Walker's text as the basis , 
we nevertheless look forward to having more progress being done  in the TRIPS Council because the 
WTO response must have both components . The IP element does not  however  have to be only 
waivers . We have hea rd of proposals from the European Union and others . We remain open to 
consider other IP -related proposals . Thailand thank s the Chair , the co -sponsors for JOB/ GC/278 as 
well as JOB/ GC/292 and JOB/GC/ 293. We are looking at them carefully and we hope to make 
interventions  on them  in the appropriate time and forum. On the waiver, if there is going to be a 
TRIPS Waiver element in the WTO response, it must contain a proper level of pragmatism . Such a 
waiver must be reasonable in terms of coverage of the prod ucts as well as the intellectual property 
provisions that will be covered by such waiver. We also believe that a waiver must be reasonable in 
duration and implementation must be made clearly set before we commit to a waiver. We are 
preparing to work with b oth side s on this. During the strategic pause , we had consultations with a 
few delegations, and we take note that several key players in these issues sounded very reasonable . 
We hope that we will find a solution that is agreeable to all. Since we have set the date for MC12 , 
let us work together to get to that goal of having the WTO response to the pandemic that will be 
agreeable to all.  
6.85.   The representative of Paraguay , speaking under  agenda items 6 and 7 , delivered the following 
statement:  
6.86.   Paraguay would like to echo the thoughts of some Members at recent transparency meetings 
on this process . We are concerned that the WTO's response to the pandemic will come too late and 
the organization will miss the opportunity to demonstrate the added value it is  capable of providing 
in times of a health crisis such as the one we have been facing for the past two years . The current 
process does not seem to have a clear objective and there are major divergences as to what kind of 
response the WTO and its Members ca n provide to this and future pandemics. Other organizations 
such as the WHO are already negotiating binding multilateral instruments that incorporate trade and 
health commitments while in the WTO we cannot reach consensus on a purely political declaration.  
Despite this dark and confusing scenario, Paraguay strongly supports the process you , Chair,  have 
set in motion, and we hope that the strategic pause will provide Members with the necessary space 
to reflect on the real impact that a useful response from t he WTO could have, not only on the 
organization's credibility but above all on the economic recovery of our people.  My delegation 
considers that JOB/GC/281 is a good basis for advancing discussions and we are open to improving 
it, as long as the ambition o f the document is not reduced . With respect to the current language of 
JOB/GC/ 281, Paraguay would indeed like to see greater ambition in the components on export 
restrictions and trade facilitation because we believe that these are the measures that have h ad the 
greatest negative impact on trade in COVID -19 medical products in particular vaccines. We would 
like to highlight the role of services, especially logistics, transportation and telecommunications 
services in this pandemic context, for a landlocked d eveloping country, a net importer of vaccines, 
which faces additional obstacles every day in sourcing products that it does not have the capacity to 
produce locally.  With respect to the  IP component, we look forward to the outcome of the high -level 
consult ations undertaken by the Director -General to unblock discussions in the TRIPS Council and 
seek convergence on how the I P system can support Members during this and future pandemics.  I 
would like to reiterate my delegation's support for this process, and ho pe that, during this strategic 
pause, Members will demonstrate flexibility and maximize efforts to bring their positions closer 
together.  
6.87.   The representative of Australia  provided the following statement:  
6.88.   The WTO cannot afford not to be a part of the respon se to the current global health crisis – 
our credibility is at stake. In particular, it is critical that we deliver a meaningful outcome on 
intellectual property and COVID -19 as soon as possible. Australia urges all Members to work WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  together, including in s mall group negotiations, to find common ground on an intellectual property 
outcome in a constructive and flexible way. We also urge Members to continue to work together on 
a broader pandemic response, including by making use of the efforts already made to develop the 
JOB/GC/281 text last year under the facilitation of Ambassador Walker. We note that this text 
reflects a compromise outcome and believe it is a solid basis from which we should re -commence 
work. We acknowledge Members have different views on th at text and we thank those that have 
recently submitted textual suggestions. Focussing discussions on the actual language of a 
declaration in this way will help us build towards a consensus outcome. The level of ambition of an 
outcome needs to be sufficien t to meet society’s expectations for what the WTO should be able to 
deliver – two years into the pandemic.  In our view, this requires both a credible Ministerial 
declaration and a forward work plan. We have been making use of the current pause in the 
negotiations to engage informally with other Members that take different views from our own on 
some of these issues. This has been a useful opportunity to deepen mutual understanding of 
Members' positions, and our overall impression is that a consensus outcome  is achievable in time 
for MC12 if we work together using the JOB/GC/281 text as a basis, making some adjustments 
where necessary.  
6.89.   The General Council took note  of the Chair's report and of the statements.  
7  TRIPS COUNCIL MATTERS  
7.1  Status Report on the Considerations by the TRIPS  Council on the revised "Proposal 
for a Waiver from Certain Provisions of the T RIPS  Agreement for the Prevention, 
Containment and Treatment of COVID -19" (I P/C/W/669/Rev.1) – Statement by the Chair 
of the Council for TRIPS  
7.1.  The Chair  noted  that t his item relates to a status report by the TRIPS Council Chair on the 
revised "Proposal for a Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, 
Containment and Treatment of COVID -19" in document IP/C/W/669/Rev.1. HE noted that, s ince the 
December meeting  of the General Council , the Council for TRIPS had considered this request again, 
most recently at a meeting on 22 February.  
7.2.  Ambassador Dagfinn Sørli (Norway), Chair of the TRIPS Council , provided the following repor t6: 
7.3.  In my personal capacity, I wish to say that today is one of those days when it is very difficult 
to stay completely professional. Let me however limit myself to say that in my capacity as a human 
being on this dark day in history that my thoughts and heart go out to my fellow human beings who 
are right now fearing for their lives and for their future. In my capacity as Permanent Representative 
of Norway, I would like to take this opportunity to bid farewell to departing colleagues and to 
welcome new co lleagues. A special farewell and thanks to Mr. Victor do Prado for his contribution to 
this organization and to us as Members. You will be sorely missed.  
7.4.  On the considerations by the TRIPS  Council on the revised " Proposal for a Waiver from Certain 
Provisions of the TRIPS  Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment of COVID -19, let 
me report that, at the meeting of the TRIPS Council on 15 -16 October 2020, India and South Africa 
introduced document IP/C/W/669, requesting a waiver from certa in provisions of the TRIPS 
Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID -19, which had been circulated 
on 2 October 2020 and has since been co -sponsored by the delegations of Kenya, Eswatini, 
Mozambique, Pakistan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Mon golia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, the African Group, the LDC 
Group, the Maldives, Fiji, Namibia, Vanuatu, Indonesia and Jordan. Since the introduction of the 
document, discussions took place in various formal and informal TRIPS Council meetings. 
Delegations exchange d views, asked questions, sought clarifications and provided replies, 
clarifications, and information, including through documents IP/C/W/670, IP/C/W/671, IP/C/W/672, 
IP/C/W/673 and IP/C/W/674, on the waiver request. On 21 May 2021 the co -sponsors issued a  
revised proposal which was circulated in document IP/C/W/669/Rev.1. The revised waiver request 
was presented at an informal open -ended meeting of the Council on 31 May, and introduced at its 
formal meeting on 8 -9 June 2021. It has since been co -sponsored by Malaysia and Argentina. On 
29 September 2021, the co -sponsors circulated a summary of their interventions in document 
IP/C/W/684. Status reports on the considerations by the TRIPS Council on the revised "Proposal for 
a Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and 
 
6 The TRIPS Council Chair's report can also be found in JOB/IP/55.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Treatment of COVID -19" were delivered to the General Council on 3 -4 March, 5 -6 May, 27 July, 
7 October and, most recently, on 22 November 2021.  
7.5.  In the course of discussions on the revised waiver propo sal, delegations held focused 
discussions on the topics of 'scope', both from the perspective of products and of IP rights, on 
'duration', 'implementation' and on protection of undisclosed information. Delegations engaged 
positively and their detailed subs tantive exchanges helped clarify various aspects and nuances of 
positions. While delegations remain committed to the common goal of providing timely and secure 
access to high quality, safe, efficacious and affordable vaccines and medicines for all, disagre ement 
persists on the fundamental question of whether a waiver is the appropriate and most effective way 
to address the shortage and inequitable distribution of and access to vaccines and other COVID 
related products. In addition, a proposal for a draft Ge neral Council declaration on the TRIPS 
Agreement and Public Health in the circumstances of a pandemic, issued by the European Union and 
circulated in document IP/C/W/681, has also been discussed in meetings since its circulation on 
21 June 2021. Delegation s exchanged views, asked questions, sought clarifications and provided 
replies, clarifications, and information. Disagreement persists on the fundamental question of 
whether this proposal is the appropriate and most effective way to address the shortage an d 
inequitable distribution of and access to vaccines and other COVID -related products. This means 
that the TRIPS Council has not yet completed its consideration of the revised waiver request. The 
TRIPS Council will therefore continue its consideration of t he revised waiver request, and report back 
to the General Council as stipulated in Article IX:3 of the Marrakesh Agreement. In addition, the 
TRIPS Council will also continue in the same manner its consideration of the other related proposals 
by Members.  
7.6.  The Chair thanked Ambassador Sørli for his report on the discussions in the TRIPS Council  and 
his continued efforts and readiness to help Members carry this discussion forward . As had been 
heard from the TRIPS Council Chair's report, the TRIPS Council would continue to work on this 
matter.  
7.7.  The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
7.8.  Let me start by echoing my Norwegian colleague. This is an organization that is founded on 
respect for the rule of law and this morning we stand c onfronted by a situation which international 
law is being flouted in the most egregious manner possible. On this agenda item, I am not going to 
repeat yet again the substance of the United Kingdom's position on this issue. But let me endorse 
the comments m ade yesterday by Switzerland, Singapore, the European Union and many others 
yesterday on the process. Our discussions must be informed by the facts on the ground not by 
politics. The British Government is deeply disappointed with the process that is underw ay here. We 
are here waiting to see what a small and, if I may say, unrepresentative group could deliver. And 
after some months now of what is a fairly closed -door process where our views and positions have 
not been represented, our patience has, I am afra id, run out. I would only note that our taxpayers 
and many others help subsidize the development of the vaccines that are being used against this 
pandemic, the voluntary licensing to the Serum Institute of India and indeed their purchase and 
delivery by CO VAX. And I would like to express our frustration as Switzerland set out yesterday with 
the lack of transparency around this process. Sadly, TRIPS Council updates have been, if I may say, 
rather irregular, infrequent and not particularly informative. Those updates do not enable all 
Members to engage at all with the process, and to be honest, we have often learned more from the 
media than we have from the updates. So, let me be as clear as possible, that while we recognize 
and indeed support the urgency of ta king forward these wider discussions on the pandemic response, 
we will not simply support the outcome of a process in which we are not included.  
7.9.  The representative of Pakistan  delivered the following statement:  
7.10.   Pakistan recalls and echoes all our previous  statements on this issue in the General Council 
and TRIPS Council at its formal, informal and small group sessions. Pakistan also echoes the 
statement to be made by other co -sponsors on this item today. It has been two years into the 
pandemic and almost t wo years and a half since the tabling of this proposal. It is regrettable that a 
couple of delegations continue to block further development on this issue and discussions on what 
the promise will be of a text -based negotiation in the TRIPS Council. While w e do not discount totally 
the role of IP in development of new technologies, we also know that natural and created monopolies 
lead to outcomes that have high possibility of undermining the greater public good. And this is what 
makes a decision on IP more i mportant. We note that a higher level of engagement among the so WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  called "Quad" is taking place and we certainly hope that it will result in a positive and meaningful 
outcome in the interest of saving human lives, not just in a few countries or regions, but  across the 
world. While we continue to lift restrictions in countries that have significant or more than sufficient 
levels of vaccines available, we need to continue our focus on those that still need vaccines and 
COVID -19 medicines. This is not only impo rtant for the current pandemic but also for future health 
emergencies of this nature. It is this aspect that further strengthens our commitment to find a 
meaningful and credible response to the pandemic which will need to have the TRIPS Waiver in 
whatever form it is agreed eventually as its integral component. My government is resolute in its 
plead that the TRIPS Waiver is a necessity to address the issue at hand globally and in a lasting 
manner. We are also firm in our belief in the ability of human beings  to put aside profit maximizing 
monopolistic tendencies and work for the greater good of humanity to save lives. We therefore urge 
the couple of Members consistently blocking text -based negotiations on this issue to come forth and 
engage meaningfully to re solve the matter.  
7.11.   The representative of Peru delivered the following statement:  
7.12.   The UN Secretary General described inequality in vaccine distribution as the worst failure in 
modern times causing millions of deaths from COVID -19 to date. We appeal again for  people to 
assume their responsibilities and to develop a response to the crisis afflicting us which is still far 
from being over as we have repeatedly said in other fora. We consider that access to vaccines against 
COVID -19 should be universal, timely and  equitable and considered as a global public good. In this 
regard, it is necessary to come up with specific urgent measures which tackle insufficiencies in global 
vaccine production and their unequal distribution within and between countries. Peru consider s that 
we cannot postpone the need for an agreement to deal with a problem linked to vaccines for COVID -
19. As we do not have universal use of these goods, we are endangering lives and the fulfilment of 
the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.  
7.13.   The represent ative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
7.14.   We agree with the content of the TRIPS Council Chair's report. We thank the Director -General 
for facilitating the Ministerial -level discussions in developing a framework that the broader 
Membership c an consider as the basis for a multilateral outcome. We believe that these meetings 
provide a platform to engage solutions -oriented discussions which  have injected an  important 
dynamic that can take us forward. Our delegation is focusing on achieving an ou tcome that leads to 
a workable solution that promotes diversification of production across the world. We strongly believe 
that the TRIPS Waiver is doable if we all think creatively to find a balanced outcome that addresses 
all our concerns. It is critical in unlocking global production of COVID -19 products, including vaccines 
beyond just fill and finish. Africa cannot continue to be confined to the lower end of the value chain 
our interest in addressing the vaccine inequity that continues to put people's he alth and sustainable 
economic recovery at risk. In Africa, just over 10% of the adult population is vaccinated. This should 
concern all of us as no one is safe until everyone is. We welcome last week's announcement about 
five new hubs in Kenya, Tunisia, Ni geria, Senegal and Egypt and congratulate these nations for the 
tremendous progress being made. Having said this, South Africa has experience in hosting mRNA 
vaccine hubs which illustrated at a practical level the impeding impact that IP barriers can have.  It 
is imperative that we expeditiously agree on the TRIPS Waiver to avoid replication of these inequities. 
As noted by the President of South Africa His Excellency President Ramaphosa at the recent AU -EU 
Summit "the TRIPS Waiver, when approved, will ensur e freedom to operate for entities with the 
requisite capacity and provide a platform to operate existing capabilities. In addition, it will facilitate 
the diversification of production to geographical regions that are currently cut out of the 
manufacturing  value chains." Our intention is not at the expense of or to disband  the current system 
of innovation and incentives. The TRIPS Waiver does not do so. We have shared ideas with Members 
on a limited scope on a landing zone that aims to address all concerns and ensure that we can 
facilitate global production, diversification and access to COVID -19 related products. This is critical 
to ensure resilience as well as preparedness for future pandemics. President Ramaphosa also stated 
that governments that are seri ous about vaccine access to all need to approve the TRIPS Waiver. 
We will continue to be constructive and flexible in the discussions with a view to finding a landing 
zone that delivers on the common purpose of ensuring equitable access to vaccines, therap eutics 
and diagnostics. The TRIPS Waiver is critical to complement global efforts of diversification of 
production. With each of these, therefore, a targeted, time -limited TRIPS Waiver represents a 
proportionate, necessary and appropriate response to the p andemic.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  7.15.   The representative of Mozambique  delivered the following statement:  
7.16.   Let me start by warmly welcoming the new Permanent Representatives joining us and bid 
farewell to Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan  of Fiji. We wish her every success in her future 
endeavours. I cannot also miss this opportunity to express my gratitude to Mr. Victor do Prado for 
his exceptional contribution to the work of the organization and to the multilateral trade system. On 
this agenda item, we align with the statement to be deli vered by Cameroon on behalf of the African 
Group. We also thank the Ambassador of Norway, Chair of the TRIPS Council, for the report 
submitted to this session. The inequalities to access COVID -19 vaccines and other therapeutics to 
combat this pandemic cont inue to be a matter of serious concern. Mozambique believes that the 
WTO can play an important role to reverse the current situation and to face future pandemics. In 
this regard, we commend the Director -General's efforts on pushing progress on negotiations  related 
to the TRIPS Waiver. The TRIPS Waiver proposal contained in IP/C/W/669/Rev.1 is an important 
basis to build a consensual decision as a matter of emergency considering that the COVID -19 
pandemic is not over. With the current low coverage rate of va ccination in many regions of the world, 
new variants can come up and turn more virulent. Nobody is safe until everybody is safe.  
7.17.   The representative of the Maldives  delivered the following statement:  
7.18.   As the Director -General mentioned yesterday, it is extrem ely encouraging to see that vaccine 
manufacturing is supposed to  take place in some African countries which we hope will begin without 
too much delay. The Maldives is a co -sponsor of the proposed waiver from certain provisions of the 
TRIPS Agreement for th e prevention, containment and treatment of COVID -19. We welcome this 
development because it would greatly improve affordable access to COVID -19 vaccines. We hope 
that we will be able to expand on these developments and that all countries will be able to be nefit. 
It is important to utilize excess capacity that currently exists in many countries to produce vaccines. 
It is for this reason that we hope that all WTO Members will work together in solidarity and agree 
on moving forward on a proposed Waiver on cert ain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. The Maldives 
reiterates our support to the proposed exceptional waiver mechanism and encourages Members to 
continue discussions on the TRIPS Waiver with a view to reaching a consensus on a workable solution 
to the cur rent impasse. A positive outcome in this regard will no doubt be an important contribution 
by the WTO towards the pandemic – helping achieve greater vaccine equity.  
7.19.   The representative of the Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
7.20.   We wish to refer to our statement on this issue at previous General Council meetings and 
reiterate that the solution to the current COVID -19 difficulties lies in rapid access by every country 
to affordable diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines to combat the menace. This can only be 
achieved by the diversification and ramping up of production of these products globally. It is for this 
reason that we consistently call for the adoption of the proposed waiver.  
7.21.   The representative of Norway  delivered the following statement:  
7.22.   Norway  takes note of the oral report of the Chair of the TRIPS Council as well as the report 
pertaining to this issue from the Director -General under agenda item 2. We agree with the Director -
General that progress on this issue is urgently needed. We need to str ike the balance between on 
the one hand ensuring that intellectual property rights do not constitute a barrier to solving the 
current or future health crisis and on the other hand providing incentives for innovation. Norway 
believes that a time -limited wai ver related to patents on COVID -19 vaccines can be part of such a 
balanced approach. With this in mind, we encourage all Members to revisit their positions with a 
view to narrowing differences so that we can find a pragmatic compromise that can achieve 
consensus.  
7.23.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
7.24.   I associate with the statements delivered by South Africa on behalf of the co -sponsors of the 
TRIPS Waiver and by Chad on behalf of the LDC Group. Nepal has been continuously supporting  this 
proposal from the very beginning and reiterates its position of necessity of adopting the TRIPS 
Waiver through text -based negotiations among Members. This will not only support saving lives of 
millions of people across the world but also regain trust  in this institution. Showing flexibility by all 
Members and taking a more pragmatic approach would be much appreciated.   WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  7.25.   The representative of Tunisia  delivered the following statement:  
7.26.   We align ourselves with the statement to be made by the African Grou p. No one can disregard 
the heavy responsibility that more and more occupies the work of the TRIPS Council in the context 
of negotiations, which have been going on for more than 20 months now particularly on this issue 
of the waiver. It is not a good thing  to note necessarily that there are still doubts on this issue which 
not only have led to a blockage on the WTO response to the pandemic but also on the global 
aspirations of the long -awaited MC12. So, the work that has been done on this does not necessari ly 
reassure those in capital with regard to what can be expected from a historic MC12 with regard to 
the decisions in favour of equitable and solidarity -based trade. With regard to our platform, we can 
look at the most recent announcement made by the Direc tor-General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros, during 
the AU -EU Summit held recently with regard to the decision of choosing African countries to host 
production of mRNA vaccines with the WHO programme – which we do hope will allow the African 
continent to manufactur e its own vaccines to combat COVID -19 and other diseases. South Africa, 
Egypt, Senegal and my country, Tunisia, have been chosen by the WHO among 20 African countries 
who have submitted requests to benefit from this technology. This once again confirms tha t the 
African continent does have the human resources and the necessary skills, and the scientific 
equipment needed to adopt these technologies. Alongside assistance from the WHO and with the 
involvement of the European Union, Tunisia is particularly glad of this decision which recognizes the 
expertise and skills in Tunisia and its efforts to combat the pandemic especially through a resolution 
in the United Nations Security Council which was submitted by Tunisia and France to reinforce 
international coopera tion in this area. We hope that this decision would be efficacious. This would 
undoubtedly help us to face the health emergencies and allow us to ensure universal coverage of 
vaccines. This would ensure that the most vulnerable are not faced with the same restrictions on IP 
as could be seen during the pandemic. This situation proves that the IP protection system, as 
effective as it is in promoting research and development and innovation, is nevertheless limited in 
terms of response to such an exceptional ci rcumstance. WTO Members have the duty to examine all 
proposed solutions in order to combat COVID -19 and future pandemics. We would urge them to 
constructively engage in text -based negotiations to bridge gaps and try to provide a rapid, efficacious 
and effe ctive response to the pandemic.  
7.27.   The representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia  delivered the following statement:  
7.28.   We thank the Director -General, including for her efforts to reach out to the highest levels of 
decision -making on this matter, and r eiterate our support for her. We also welcome new Permanent 
Representatives and wish them success. We would like to thank Ambassador Sørli for his report and 
for his efforts to achieve points of convergence in all meetings under different configurations. W e 
align ourselves with what was said by South Africa and other co -sponsors in this discussion which 
started in 2020 in the TRIPS Council at a difficult time for humanity. Unfortunately, despite all our 
efforts, we have not been able to make progress in thi s topic. We continue to face a lack of 
commitment from some delegations in terms of finding points of convergence which would allow us 
to achieve a timely, efficacious and acceptable response for all Members, including with regard to 
our main concerns in t erms of equity of vaccines and the increase in the production of medication, 
diagnostics and other equipment for the pandemic. Although in many countries the pandemic seems 
to be coming to an end, thinking of a post -pandemic era, it is not the case for oth ers who are still 
undergoing a serious impact from COVID -19. Our recovery will be even more complicated. For this 
reason, we still have confidence that Members can reflect and move forward in the negotiations. We 
can still achieve the consensus needed and demonstrate that WTO Members have the commitment 
and the capacity to respond to an emergency situation.  
7.29.   The representative of Bangladesh  delivered the following statement:  
7.30.   Bangladesh aligns with the statement delivered by Chad on behalf of the LDCs. My del egation 
thanks the TRIPS Council Chair for his report and supports the decision to continue discussions at 
the TRIPS Council on the temporary TRIPS Waiver Proposal which is more than one year old. The 
social and economic effects of COVID -19 have been and c ontinue to be disastrous especially for 
developing countries and LDCs and it is a pity that we are yet to begin text -based negotiations. My 
delegation strongly appeals to Members to agree on an outcome on IP/C/W/669/Rev.1 as soon as 
possible. There is no d enial that the production of vaccine and therapeutics against COVID -19 is 
highly concentrated in a few countries. Concentrated production leads to monopolistic control of 
production, supply and prices of vaccines. This situation contributes to inequitable and unaffordable 
access to much needed vaccines to fight the pandemic. For example, as of 18 February, only 5.93% WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  people in the Low -Income Countries, comprising 648 million people, are fully vaccinated. Like the 
vaccines, the situation remains inequitable in the area of therapeutics and diagnostics. Due to limited 
manufacturers, there are significant supply constraints for the therapeutics recommended by the 
WHO and for potentially new therapeutics. It is evident that there is an urgent need to expand 
manuf acturing globally and to diversify supply of vaccines, therapeutics and other medical products 
to effectively fight the pandemic. The TRIPS Council's objective on this specific discussion, in my 
delegation's view, should be to overcome barriers to achieve equitable and timely access to vaccines, 
therapeutics and diagnostics particularly for developing and LDC Members. In this context, 
Bangladesh appreciates the Director -General's updates to continue intensive discussion among some 
delegations to find a solu tion. We also welcome the recent announcement regarding the EU and the 
African Union's initiative to facilitate mRNA hubs in some African countries with an aim to address 
at least the production constraints for vaccines. However, the challenges related to therapeutics and 
diagnostics are yet to be addressed in the broader context including the IP barriers. This may be 
noted that as of 20 February, only 12.13 % of the African population are fully vaccinated. Bangladesh 
expects that WTO Members will not fail to deliver a solution to address the most pressing need of 
the humanity today. My delegation stands ready for further work in this regard.  
7.31.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
7.32.   My delegation takes note of the repor t made by the Chair of the TRIPS Council. We would like 
to especially thank Ambassador Sørli for his constant engagement and support for these extremely 
complicated discussions. We encourage further work of the TRIPS Council on a COVID -19 response, 
looking  for a solution, which would suit all Members. At the same time, we believe that an exceptional 
measure taken in exceptional circumstances should be negotiated in the most transparent way. 
Every Member has its own experience and tasks to combat the pandemi c but only a multilateral 
solution offers the right balance. We expect that all further discussions on the IP issue relative to 
the pandemic are transparent, comprehensive and open to all Members through dialogue. For the 
moment, it seems that this is not the case and I agree here with Ambassador Chambovey from 
Switzerland and Ambassador Manley from the United Kingdom. The situation is quite worrying. From 
our side, we would like to reiterate that any exception to the WTO rules must be limited in time, 
accessible, easy to implement and not leading to a deterioration of the safety of products. My 
delegation stands ready to engage constructively in future discussions in the TRIPS Council.  
7.33.   The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , on behalf of the OECS , delivered the 
following statement:   
7.34.   The OECS aligns with the statement to be delivered by Barbados on behalf of CARICOM. We 
are aware of the ongoing discussions at the political level to advance work on TRIPS -related issues 
among Members. We do s ee value in this approach . However, our request is for transparency, full -
disclosure and inclusivity to be maintained. We also renew our call for an urgent and amicable 
resolution to the TRIPS -related matters. Where there is a dichotomy in approaches, whet her real or 
perceived, it may serve our interests to focus less on our differences and instead prioritize how we 
can incorporate all trade relevant IP -related solutions into the most appropriate TRIPS response.  
7.35.   The representative of Barbados , on behalf of CARICOM , delivered the following statement.  
7.36.   The issue of equitable, affordable and timely access to COVID -19 vaccines and other medical 
technologies continues to be key in saving lives and safeguarding the overall health and well -being 
of our people. This is a precursor for global recovery from the pandemic given that effective recovery 
in one country is contingent upon our collective ability to recover. It is therefore in the interest of all 
to ensure that critical treatment, tools and devices, such as vac cines and other medical technologies 
are widely available to all. While the CARICOM Group is not a co -sponsor of the TRIPS Waiver, we 
will continue to monitor the evolution of this issue particularly in light of the link that exists between 
the intellectua l property aspect and the WTO Response to the Pandemic. The CARICOM Group aligns 
with the statement delivered by Jamaica on behalf of the ACP Group.  
7.37.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
7.38.   The Afri can Group takes note of the report and welcomes it as well as all those who are 
constructively engaging in these discussions. Although we remain concerned by our seeming inability WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  to achieve consensus on the urgency of the situation to date, we are neverth eless convinced by our 
collective capacity to achieve this if everybody shows willingness and flexibility. You can be assured 
that the African Group is and has demonstrated sufficient flexibility. Yesterday, we expressed our 
view on this subject and we hav e expressed our strong support with regard to the need to urgently 
achieve our way forward for TRIPS to assure diversification and production and distribution of 
medical products which are linked to COVID -19 and in this way to remedy the inequitable access  to 
vaccines. We have always insisted on the fact that the WTO response should be significant, holistic 
and should examine the current pandemic and future ones. Production and distribution of vaccines 
and diagnostics have continued to challenge many of us and should be part of a rapid and effective 
response to this pandemic. Yesterday, we also welcomed the efforts undertaken by some to try to 
remedy the situation especially the efforts by the Director -General in the context of facilitating 
discussions betwe en the various stakeholders in order to facilitate production and diversification of 
these products. However, the rate of vaccination remains low in Africa. Only 11% of the population 
to date have received the necessary doses of the vaccine as compared 69%  in other countries. It is 
high time to provide textual amendments that are necessary to achieve such a desired consensus 
and practical responses. We need to be pragmatic and rapid in order to confront the sanitary crisis 
and the current economic crisis as  well as to prevent future ones. The failure of our discussions 
would demonstrate our collective weakness to achieve a wise decision. Decimating the efforts of 
everybody may not seem appropriate. We need to avoid divisions which is paralyzing multilaterali sm. 
We need to overcome the inequalities. We need to draw inspiration from other organizations, as 
noted by the Director -General. We are talking about people. We reiterate our constructive 
commitment to work with you, Chair, and with the TRIPS Chair, the D irector -General and all 
Members to reach consensus. We also invite others to show flexibility to find a fair and balanced 
solution that is transparent that we all hope for.  
7.39.   The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
7.40.   Thank yo u, Ambassador Sørli, for your report and for your remarks this morning regarding 
the serious crisis facing the international community. The United States stands in unity and solidarity 
with those facing catastrophic loss of life and human suffering in the wake of actions that run counter 
to international law and the norms that we as an international community have all pledged to 
respect: national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right of States to make their own decisions 
regarding their foreign a nd security policy arrangements. My President has expressed my country's 
views clearly last evening and I refer Members to that statement.  We hesitate to intervene since this 
is a procedural agenda item. Members have already agreed by consensus to the repo rt. However, 
given the extensive discussion we would like to make the following points.  The United States is 
committed to continuing to lead in responding to the global COVID -19 pandemic. We have committed 
to donate over 1.2 billion vaccine doses to date. We have already shipped 454 million doses to more 
than 110 countries.  The United States has also contributed more than USD 19 billion in health and 
humanitarian assistance to help combat COVID -19 issues and to help ensure communities around 
the world have the resources that they need.  The United States has stated its support for a waiver 
of intellectual property protections for COVID -19 vaccines.  The United States continues to engage 
with Members to look for areas of convergence that can lead to a solution.  This includes our 
participation in the Director -General's consultations. We remain committed to engaging with WTO 
Members to find a way forward.  
7.41.   The representative of Sierra Leone  delivered the following statement:  
7.42.   Let me welcome the new Permanent Represe ntative and thank the Director -General and the 
General Council. I would like also to thank the TRIPS Council Chair for presenting a very concise 
report on the TRIPS Waiver issue. My delegation aligns with the statements of the African Group, 
LDC Group and the ACP on the TRIPS Waiver issue. A waiver will be an effective way to address the 
shortage, inequitable distribution of and access to vaccines and other COVID -related products. But 
we are also aware that this is not a unanimous view. There are other view s on the table. But this 
should not mean that this should end in stalemate. There has to be compromise especially as the 
pandemic rages on. We have to exercise flexibility in moving this process forward. That is because 
although obviously there has been a great increase in donated vaccines but as we heard from the 
Ambassador of Cameroon, the vaccination rate in Africa is still extremely low, around 10 to 11%. 
So, there is still a real problem to be addressed. We cannot have a stalemate with respect to this 
process because the pandemic is not going to be resolved through a stalemate. We have to address 
this matter with the urgency that it deserves. We therefore appeal to all Members to look at this WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  matter very closely and take an approach that will lead to a solution that makes vaccines available 
to all. We strongly believe that a waiver will significantly help in that direction.  
7.43.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , delivered the following statement:  
7.44.   More than a year has passed since the proposal  for a waiver on TRIPS to address the pandemic 
was tabled. We had seen last year the rise of new variants of the disease such as omicron. As we 
have often repeated, no one is safe until everyone is. Our concern is that as the developed world 
begins to emer ge from the pandemic, countries such as ours may come to be forgotten in terms of 
the difficulties encountered to obtain vaccines and therapeutics. The challenges on the use of 
vaccines that are albeit generously donated are well documented. However, we ne ed a sustainable 
solution with rapid and adequate production and distribution of vaccines and therapeutics to ensure 
affordable, timely and efficacious access by the LDCs to fight against the pandemic.    
7.45.   The representative of Mauritius  delivered the follo wing statement:  
7.46.   We take note that, across the membership, there has been some constructive engagement 
on this issue. Mauritius, like the African Group, looks forward to concrete and substantive 
involvement towards reaching an agreement on the TRIPS Waiver proposal. The WTO and its 
Membership cannot allow a situation of inequality of access to COVID -19 vaccines and therapeutics 
to continue. We have the responsibility to demonstrate that we can collectively find an answer to 
end the pandemic. Unfortunately, a  protracted and inconclusive debate on this issue is only 
worsening the situation faced by many developing countries and LDCs. Mauritius therefore 
associates itself with the African Group statement reiterating our call for an early finalization of the 
negotiations for a balanced outcome on the proposed waiver and preferably ahead of MC12.  
7.47.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
7.48.   Indonesia thanks the Chair of the TRIPS Council for his oral report which reflects the current 
state of play of the negotiations. While we support the Council's recommendation to continue to 
work, at this juncture, we share the views of others that we woul d like to hear more details of the 
ongoing negotiations between the four Members facilitated by DDG Gonzalez. It is evident that the 
progress or lack thereof on the TRIPS Waiver effects other ongoing negotiations. As such, we 
encourage those involved in th e Quad process to share more details. We hope that Members continue 
to engage constructively so that we may finally have an outcome on this long overdue issue.  
7.49.   The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
7.50.   We want to thank the Chair of th e TRIPS Council for the update on the status of the TRIPS 
Waiver discussions. We continue to follow the IP developments closely in the WTO and elsewhere. 
We believe that the workable, pragmatic solution for the IP file is possible and can be part of a 
broader package of results expected for MC12. Brazil remains committed to finding a common 
ground on the TRIPS Waiver discussions and will continue to engage with interested Members to 
that end.  
7.51.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
7.52.   We thank the Chair of the TRIPS Council for his report and tireless efforts to advance the 
discussions on the TRIPS Waiver proposal. We also associate ourselves with the statement made by 
the ACP Group. The Pacific Group co nsiders this matter as an integral outcome for MC12 for the 
simple reason that human lives matter. New waves of infections are continuing, including in some 
countries in the Pacific region and we have not escaped them. Infections are still rising and so ar e 
deaths. While vaccine shortages continue in developing countries, we say again that vaccine inequity 
cannot continue. We must place people at the centre of the discussions.  
7.53.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
7.54.   First of all, some  of the Members touched upon the crisis we have been experiencing recently. 
I just want to touch upon the actions that are being taken right now. We are very much concerned 
that it constitutes the infringement over one of the WTO Member's sovereign right a nd territorial WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  integrity, and the violation of international law. They are totally unacceptable. Japan strongly 
condemns them. Japan joins the international community to deal with a situation standing alongside 
with Ukraine and its people. Turning to the T RIPS Council issue, I would like to express our 
appreciation to TRIPS Council Chair, Ambassador Sørli, for the status report and for his tremendous 
efforts. The discussions in the TRIPS Council have not found any outcome yet, but we know that a 
small numbe r of Members are engaged in the substantive discussions. We are very much carefully 
watching what those discussions are going. In order to move this discussion forward, it is important 
to focus on the common ground as opposed to our differences. In this re gard, it is important for the 
other WTO Members to be updated if there are some areas that the small group will or might have 
convergence on. We believe that it would be beneficial to proceed this discussion among all WTO 
Members so that the WTO Membership  meet the expectation of the world in the context of MC12. 
Japan is eager to engage in the discussions on how IP can contribute to our common goal of providing 
timely and equitable access to high quality, safe, effective and affordable vaccines. We will en gage 
in the discussion constructively.  
7.55.   The representative of the China  delivered the following statement:  
7.56.   China would like to thank Ambassador Sørli for his tireless efforts during the past months. We 
support his status report and the request for continui ng discussion in the TRIPS Council. The 
pandemic is now in its third year but we have not yet reached an outcome in IP area. In our view, 
the most important thing now is to show genuine political will and put the moral obligation over the 
commercial intere sts. Our former leader Deng Xiaoping had a famous saying: "whether it is a white 
cat or black cat, it is a good cat that catches the mice." It is a pity that we have been talking for a 
long time here. Practice for a long time in the past seems to show that  there is no cat here, and this 
organization does not seem to have much relevance to the current global fight against the pandemic. 
Now more and more countries are starting to lift all pandemic restrictions. I feel the drive and 
pressure for consensus on t he waiver are failing. It would be a tragedy for all of us if we had to 
discuss the same topic again in the future when possible new pandemic comes again. Like many 
others, China has keen interests in the ongoing four -party consultation and looks forward t o a text 
presented by them which could pave the way for resuming the multilateral discussion sooner rather 
than later. On top of the TRIPS waiver, proposals like the compulsory licensing also constitute an 
integral part of the TRIPS contribution to the pan demic response. These two proposals, with the 
common aim of promoting the equity of production and distribution of vaccines, are complementary 
rather than contradictory to each other and should be explored in parallel. I would like to remind all 
that the p andemic response is undoubtedly the top priority for the WTO and should be addressed 
swiftly. We are open to any idea, including a dedicated ministerial engagement at a proper time to 
advance the negotiation. In any way, further delaying the negotiating pr ocess or linking it with other 
topics is not in the interest of any Member or the WTO as a whole.  
7.57.   The representative of Namibia  delivered the following statement:  
7.58.   Allow me to join others in welcoming new Permanent Representatives and bid farewell to 
Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan  of Fiji. We thank the Chair of the TRIPS Council for the status 
report. In terms of the process, there has been a delay when it comes to i ssues pertaining to how 
we move forward with regard to this proposal. At the outset, my delegation aligns with the 
statements of the African Group and the ACP. We support the statement delivered by South Africa 
on behalf of the co -sponsors of this proposal . When it comes to process, Article IX:3 (b) is clear and 
straightforward in terms of the timeframes in which this proposal was supposed to be considered 
within a period of less than three months, to be specific, and 90 days. In that, the relevant Council 
was supposed to submit their report to the Ministerial Conference. Since the time this waiver was 
put on the table for discussions, we feel that Members should be flexible for us to take this process 
forward, meaning that we have to move to text -based nego tiations.  
7.59.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
7.60.   We welcome Argentina as the new co -sponsor of IP/C/W/669/Rev.1 and thank Members who 
have changed their stance and have started supporting the waiver. India takes note of the factual 
report. It is regrettable that for the past year, we have been making a similar report to the General 
Council reflecting a lack of movement on this urgent and one of the most critical issues on our 
agenda. We recognize that extraordinary measures are imper ative to combat the pandemic and 
overcome the challenges we are facing, an outcome on the TRIPS Waiver, an extraordinary measure, 
towards saving lives, livelihoods, and economies has eluded us. Since the introduction of this WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  proposal, many new variations h ave arisen causing more uncertainties and unpredictability . Time is 
definitely not in our favour and my concern is that losing further time on taking a decision will render 
the outcome ineffective. Persisting vaccine inequity has resulted in new variants a nd strains of the 
virus that has led to a devastating global impact not only on sustainable economic recovery especially 
for the developing world including the LDCs but has further eroded the efforts made so far by 
countries in the form of vaccinations. It  further reinforces the need for a comprehensive test, treat 
and prevent strategy. Thus, availability, accessibility and affordability of not only vaccines but also 
therapeutics and diagnostics will remain crucial to combat the disease. The longer we take to 
overcome this pandemic, the longer it would take for the developing and the least -developed 
countries to recover. In fact, studies show that the recovery rate is predicted to be faster for 
countries with higher vaccination rates with about USD 7.93 bill ion increase in global GDP for every 
million people vaccinated. For low -income countries where vaccination rates are low, the path to 
recovery will be long and uncertain unless corrective measures are taken. The additional demands 
in the form of booster do ses, annual vaccinations and vaccinations for children will ensure that the 
existing inequity in access and affordability persists. India along with other co -sponsors of the 
proposal have been constructively engaging in discussions on the Waiver proposal. In fact, India has 
been insisting for a comprehensive, balanced and meaningful WTO response to pandemic, that will 
both enable Members to tackle the ongoing crisis as well as restore the credibility of this institution. 
It is unthinkable that a prominent w orld organization like ours does not deliver in the most 
extraordinary of circumstances. In order to sustain the momentum built on this proposal, discussions 
are also ongoing under the DG -led process. The outcome of the process needs to be practical, 
inclusive and effective, an outcome that can secure the consensus of the broader Membership. The 
global community has suffered for long. Saving lives must be prioritized and therefore, despite the 
divergences, we must strive hard to achieve an effective outcome  and deliver on the waiver. I am 
certain that all Members would agree that this is a fight we cannot afford to lose – even at the cost 
of being called "insane" by few who are always "sane".  
7.61.   The representative of Zimbabwe  delivered the following statement:  
7.62.   Let me begin by welcoming new colleagues and bidding a fond farewell to those who left us 
and to thank them for the contributions they have made to our work here. We associate ourselves 
with the statements of the African Group and the ACP. I thank the TRIP S Council Chair for his report 
and for the efforts he is making to bring us towards some kind of conclusion. On the issue of the 
waiver, we, together with many other co -sponsors of the proposed waiver have repeatedly expressed 
our support for the waiver an d our disappointment that notwithstanding extensive consultations over 
a long period and great flexibility, which is being manifested on the part of the proponents, and 
notwithstanding expressions of support from a very wide range of players many of them w ell beyond 
this organization, we have yet to engage in any text -based negotiation to make any significant 
progress. We note the selection of a number of African countries to produce vaccines and we 
welcome this development as a very positive statement in t he right direction. But it falls far short of 
what is envisaged by or in the waiver proposal. We should be guided by the comments of our 
colleague from South Africa, one of the countries selected to become a vaccine mRNA hub, together 
with India, one of th e original proponents of the waiver. We need to take careful note of their 
comments made earlier about the IP -related challenges which remain. The fourth wave for most 
African countries has now passed but almost certainly a fifth wave and a new variant wil l emerge 
and vaccination levels across our continent remain precariously low. There have been efforts, reports 
and others, which seek to deflect attention away from the issue of access to or availability of vaccines 
in our countries, zeroing in instead on the issue of vaccine resistance among our populations and 
our communities as a reason for the low vaccination rate. This is neither accurate nor is it helpful. 
Access to vaccines remains a very significant impediment if not a primary impediment to meeting 
national and continental vaccination targets. So, for us, the waiver as proposed represents the most 
effective and practical manner of supporting African countries, developing countries and low -income 
countries more generally towards obtaining the vaccinat ion targets. And we would appeal for more 
urgency to be injected into the ongoing consultations so that the momentum which we appear to 
have brought up in the run -up to the subsequently postponed MC12 that momentum can be 
rediscovered and can take us forwa rd before or certainly by MC13. We believe that could be a very 
fitting birthday present for the Director -General.  
7.63.   The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
7.64.   We have already spoken about this question in my intervention yes terday and it is an 
important item. We heard many delegations again this morning speak about the tragedy that the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  pandemic has caused in terms of loss of human lives, but today we are seeing people being killed 
by the use of force. It is a very sad day for  Europe, it is a very sad day for our continent and for the 
world at large. The European Union strongly condemns this unjustified attack on Ukraine, an 
independent and sovereign State. It is a gross violation of international law, and in these dark hours 
our thoughts are with Ukraine and innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked 
attack and fear for their lives.  
7.65.   The representative of Angola  provided the following statement:  
7.66.   My delegation aligns with the statement of the LDC Group, the ACP  and the African Group. 
The recent announcement of the launching of the BioNContainer mRNA vaccine initiative through a 
technological hub transfer in six African countries finally brings some hope both for the future 
massive production of vaccines and its rapid diffusion in the continent. We can only wish success to 
this project. Nonetheless, the pandemic is far from over. It still is a rampant global crisis with 
dramatic effects on the economies, societies, and populations of LDC and other developing count ries 
from the most different geographies. Some recent claims from rich countries that have already 
implemented third and even fourth doses of the vaccines suggesting the transformation of the global 
pandemic into a mild seasonal endemic respiratory disease  are not simply reassuring: COVID -19 
continues to kill millions, is infecting hundreds of millions, and profoundly disrupting world economy 
and trade. The losses for African countries are heavy. Trade depletion is profound in commodities 
exports, travel an d tourism services. In this troubled context, global, fast, and intensive COVID -19 
vaccination is still the most urgent stimulus plan that any country can come up with to fight the 
pandemic and provide a solid basis for socio -economic recovery. Thus, a con sensus on the TRIPS 
waiver proposal on vaccine patents and other relief medicines must be implemented to increase the 
global vaccine supply and access, crucial for saving lives worldwide and preserving stable societies, 
rebuilding economies and recovering global trade. Angola fully supports the proposal for a waiver 
from certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement for the prevention containment and treatment of 
COVID -19. This waiver agreement is not a revision of TRIPS being otherwise based on a provisional 
and temporary consensual waiving process, thus matching the immediate scientific expertise 
available on the virus mutation's and spreading structures. A mechanism of implementation and 
follow -up should be agreed upon within the WTO to tackle any critical ch anges in the present global 
pandemic crisis, thus including the potential need to renew this concrete TRIPS waiver proposal.  
7.67.   The Director -General  delivered the following statement:  
7.68.   I have spoken on this yesterday but I have decided to come back on two issu es. First, when 
I listened yesterday to the trade -related aspects of the pandemic discussion, I thought I detected a 
more moderated tone, a willingness to consult each other, a willingness to try and make things 
move. And that was very helpful compared to the tone before and I am hoping that this very 
important aspect will not be left behind and will be moved forward. So, I wanted to thank Members 
for that. Then, today, I am listening to the TRIPS Waiver discussion. I just want to thank those who 
have calle d for a balanced approach for flexibility and for compromise – the Maldives, Mozambique, 
the African Group, Sierra Leone, China and a few others I may have forgotten. This is the way to 
go. I do not believe that the kind of polarized rhetoric that we keep hearing takes us anywhere and 
I am disappointed to hear it. We need to move away from that if we are serious and ready to move 
to a way of talking about this that shows we are trying to come to a solution. Why am I saying this? 
Everything said in this room  is fed into  the press and listening to polarized rhetoric just makes the 
organization look bad or even worse than it seems. So, I would like to urge all of us on this issue to 
move away from this. We are happy that at the EU -AU Summit, even though there w ere some 
polarizations, at the end of the day, if you read the Communiqué, it says that there is support for 
this organization to come up with a solution. Please read the Communiqué. If we are going to do it, 
how does it help us if we end up with the same polarized rhetoric? So, I just want to urge all of us 
to give compromise a chance.  
7.69.   I know there is frustration on the part of all those who are not involved in the discussions, 
and I understand it and I want to thank them for their patience, both proponen ts and non -proponents 
that are not involved. What we are trying to do is to try another approach that might yield something. 
Like I said yesterday, it has not been easy and this has been going on for months. So, I think three 
months is long not to be able to know exactly or be told what is going on. I understand it. And again, 
I repeat, I thank you for your patience. We will try to push on and see what way we can land on 
that we can bring before everyone. I promise this is not some exercise that lacks trans parency. 
Sometimes the word transparency here has been weaponized. Whenever people do not like what WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  you were doing or they do not feel involved then you are not being transparent even if what you 
were doing is making sense. So, let us not weaponize that wo rd. There is no attempt of depriving 
transparency. As soon as we have something credible, we will make sure it comes to the TRIPS 
Council like we said. I want to use this opportunity to thank Ambassador Dagfinn Sørli for his really 
wonderful attempts to tr y to move things forward and also be patient with the process. That is what 
I wanted to say. We should try to come up with a workable balanced solution. No one is going to be 
100% happy with it because that is the nature of a compromise. But I hope we can find something 
that the membership can work on and build upon.  
7.70.   The General Council took note  of the report by the Chair of the Council for TRIPS  and of the 
statements.  
8  WTO ACCESSIONS: 2021 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL (WT/ACC/40 – 
WT/GC/243) – STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  
8.1.  The Chair  drew Members' attention to the Director -General's annual report on accessions, 
which had been circulated in a double symbol document, WT/ACC/40 – WT/GC/243. The Chair 
recalled that the Director -General had presented her report under Agenda Item 1 and that  many 
delegations had also provided their statements about this report.  
 
8.2.  The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
8.3.  Many other colleagues took the opportunity to talk on this item yesterday,  under item 1.  Russia 
apprec iates the heartened  and comprehensive work done by the Secretariat in support  of ongoing 
accessions, which is reflected in the Annual Report. Our delegation continuously stands for the 
expansion of the WTO Membership through the accession of new candidates. We reaffirm the 
importance of accessions , as reflected in the relevant  paragraph of the draft MC12 outcome 
document and in line with the General Council guidelines on LDC accessions. We remain committed 
to the facilitation of LDC accessions  by providing them with technical assistance, in both accession 
and post -accession phases, including by sharing our accession experience to assist acceding 
governments in this path. The focus of this year's report on LDCs reinforces our common efforts 
regardin g the integration of vulnerable countries into the rules -based multilateral trading system, 
which will undoubtedly contribute to improvements in living conditions for millions of people around 
the globe , by ensuring the predictability of trade expanding ma rket access, by promoting economic 
stability and  by creating trust for the business environment. While fully recognizing the special 
situation and the needs of LDCs in the process of accession to the WTO, we urge the Secretariat and 
the Members to treat al l acceding states on equal basis and provide them equal chances and rights 
in becom ing WTO Members. There should not be first -tier and second  tier acceding countries, and 
no one should be left behind in the process of accession . Any signs of favouritism sh ould be avoided.  
8.4.  We took note that some accessions, including those which have reached quite an advanced 
stage, such as the accession of Belarus, were omitted in yesterday's report of the DG to the General 
Council under  this agenda item . Meanwhile, some o ther countries were named as expected 
candidates for their completion of the accession this year , in spite of the fact that their governments' 
efforts to reach this goal have been objectively insufficient during the past months and even years. 
In this cont ext, we expect efforts to be made by the Secretariat to take more actions regarding 
every country wishing to accede to the WTO. In his intervention under  the present  item yesterday , 
the Ambassador of India very relevantly pointed at the excessive length of  the accession process as 
one of the main problems. In our view, is largely  due to a very simple reason : the acceding 
governments often do not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Consequently, the WTO accession 
is the dropped out of their internal poli tical agenda and the activity on this front, including legislative 
reforms , is gradually decreasing as a result and the accession process is going into a certain  
hibernation  for several  years. A confirmation of this argument is the very poor presence of ac ceding 
governments in this roo m during discussions on  the item which should be of the utmost importance 
to them. I recognize Lebanon but no others ; perhaps  others are  connected through Interprefy.  I 
believe that encouraging acceding governments, providing the necessary technical and political 
support and demonstrating that the WTO accession is not an endless and helpless process should 
be an important task both for the Members and the Secretariat . I agree , here, with the US delegation  
who said yesterday that accessions should not be a matter for a handful of Members but should 
involve the broader  membership.  
8.5.  The General Council took note  of the Director General's report and of the statements.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  9  A SMOOTH TRANSITION PACKAGE IN FAVOUR OF ME MBERS GRADUATING FROM 
THE LDC CATEGORY  
9.1  LDC Group's Interim Arrangement Submission on LDC Graduation – Communication 
from Chad on behalf of the LDC Group  (WT/GC/W/829)  
9.2  Trade Related Challenges of the Least -Developed Countries and Way Forward: A Draft 
for MC Decision – Communication from Chad on behalf of the LDC Group  (WT/GC/W/807)  
9.1.  The Chair recalled that this item was included on the agenda at the request of Chad, on behalf 
of the LDC Group. As Members may recall, he had facilitated, in his capacity as Chair of the General 
Council, consultations on this matter in 2021 in a number of configur ations, including open -ended 
consultations in November 2021, at which the LDC Group had presented its most recent submission. 
The issue had been  discussed in General Council meetings, as well as in the context of the 
consultations on the MC12 outcome docum ent, ahead of the postponed MC12 where Members had 
achieved a relatively clean text on this topic.  
9.2.  The representative of Chad, on behalf of the  LDC Group , delivered the following statement:  
9.3.  The LDC Group wishes to reaffirm the importance of our request to obtain a package at MC12 
on LDC graduation that enables a smooth transition for each graduating LDC. We wish to highlight 
the fact that although the pandemic will have ended at the time of graduation of several LDCs, the 
impact of COVID -19 cannot be overst ated rendering the continuation of existing support measures 
essential to stabilize our economies that will require decades to build back. The LDC Group has 
demonstrated flexibility in putting forward a proposal on an interim arrangement in advance of MC12  
last year. We urge all preference granting Members to duly consider and use our proposal as a basis 
to move  forward. In addition, the draft proposes to ask the LDC sub -committee to examine and 
recommend to the GC after MC12 the possible support to LDCs af ter their graduation by extending 
some of the available LDC specific flexibilities in the WTO.  Such a decision will provide the necessary 
policy space for the LDCs. With the new date for MC12 in sight, we must redouble efforts to agree 
on this proposal.  The LDC Group counts on the support of all Members an appropriate solution to 
these challenges.  
9.4.  The representative of Angola  delivered the following statement:  
9.5.  The LDCs' population of over 300 million people is becoming more impoverished, not only due 
to the COVID -19 pandemic, but also because of the unstable global economic situation before the 
pandemic. Due to the decline in the international trade, millions of jobs have been lost, mainly due 
to the thousands of small and medium enterprises that weren’t ab le to survive. The WTO must 
recognize that the pandemic crisis has ravaged the economies of LDCs that face reduced external 
demand, a drop in prices of primary commodities, a considerable decrease in tourism activity, 
weakening FDI, debt challenges, and an  expected fall in remittances. The LDCs experienced the 
same significant downturns as for economies dominated by tourism activities, an essential sector in 
42 of the 47 LDCs. There are also LDCs noticeably impacted by a significant decrease in remittance 
inflows caused by deteriorating labo ur markets in migrant destinations. In parallel, FDI fell by 49% 
worldwide in 2020, jolting ongoing and future investment projects in LDCs. Consequently, the level 
of external debt in LDCs is rising mainly through public debt, although private debt is also increasing.  
As you know, Angola was in the process of graduation that should have become effective on 
11 February 2021. However, the UN General Assembly allowed, on an exceptional basis, an 
additional period of three yea rs before its effective date of graduation, in light of socio -economic 
vulnerabilities exacerbated by the Global crisis triggered by the COVID -19 pandemic.  That is why 
Angola, as a graduating country , fully supports the idea that S&DT provisions, and other  flexibilities, 
must be substantially extended for all countries graduating from the LDC category.  In concrete 
terms, Angola supports the proposal for LDC -specific support measures, including unique and 
differential treatment and other flexibilities to be extended for a period of 12 years for graduating 
and graduated countries from the LDC category. Other than the usual 3 -year preparatory period, 
the impacts of COVID -19 on LDCs require, in addition, a complimentary transition year period as the 
LDC graduati on processes take place under exceptional circumstances caused by the pandemic and 
its lasting consequences.   WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  9.6.  The representative of Bangladesh  delivered the following statement:  
9.7.  Under this item, Bangladesh aligns with the statement delivered by Chad on behalf of the LDC 
Group. LDC graduation is one of the key priorities of the LDC Group for MC12. This is the only 
proposal where the LDC Group has made a specific submission for a Mi nisterial Decision. The 
proposal has already been discussed several times at the WTO General Council since 
December  2020. The LDC Group has also provided a factsheet on the graduation process including 
the current state of trade and economy in the LDCs. In  October 2021, in view of the time constraints 
before the scheduled MC12 last year, the LDC group submitted a draft decision as an interim 
arrangement on LDC Graduation with two points. The first point focuses only on market access. 
There are several unila teral LDC -specific GSP schemes where there are procedures available to 
extend LDC trade preferences to graduated countries for a certain time -period. The LDC Group 's 
interim arrangement submission is simply to encourage others to consider similar practices  in their 
respective preference schemes for the LDCs. It is up to the preference -granting members to see 
how they want to consider the extension of their unilateral LDC -specific schemes to the same 
Members for a defined period after graduation. The draft d ecision of the submission does not propose 
an obligation. What we are calling for is a best endeavour effort.  The second point proposes that the 
Ministers ask the LDC Sub -Committee to examine the topic of LDC graduation and the application of 
WTO rules, in cluding LDC -specific special and differential treatment provisions, in greater details 
after MC12 and to report back to the GC with its observations and recommendations.  This is the 
least that members could do to help graduating LDCs with greater predictab ility and better 
integration into global trade. The LDC group believes that this is a text flexible enough to agree on. 
We also expect the facilitating role of the GC Chair and the DG in this regard. MC12 will reconvene 
in the week beginning 13 June 2022 a nd the LDCs are always ready to continue dialogues with their 
partners. The LDCs are grateful to all Members for the wide support on this issue. We believe that 
Members will finally consider the submission and allow the process for an outcome on LDC 
gradua tion. Such a decision will show that the WTO is responsive to its weakest Members.  
9.8.  The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
9.9.  I associate with the statement delivered by Chad on behalf of the LDC Group and wish to add 
some points . The LDCs have been faced  various challenges including institutional, economic and 
social ones during the COVID -19 pandemic. All countries have been affected by the COVID -19 
pandemic. However, the severity of the pandemic's impacts for LDCs cannot only be measu red in 
number s. It has  negative implications in the achievement of  their development goals including SDG s 
2030 as well as  LDC graduation in a sustainable manner. Therefore, this situation requires decisive 
action both from global and national levels. In th is context, the proposal submitted by the LDC group 
has become more relevant and shows a positive and pragmatic initiative from this institution. Once 
adopted at MC12, our proposal would enable a smooth transition for each graduating LDC. It would 
be helpf ul in post -pandemic recovery, in reaching the SDGs 2030 and in making LDC graduation 
more sustainable.  We have demonstrated sufficient flexibility through our interim arrangement 
proposal. My delegation sincerely urges all members to consider this positive ly.  
9.10.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:   
9.11.   The ACP Group thanks the Ambassador of Chad for his comprehensive statement . We continue 
to place our full support for this important submission on behalf of the LDC Group. We are particularly 
pleased with the level of flexibility and constructiveness shown by the group in the process . We 
commend the approach being taken to further the interests of LDCs and graduated LDCs within the 
WTO and in the global trading sy stem, especially in light of the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic, 
which will have a lasting impact on these Members. The vulnerability of these countries to external 
shocks is real and should always be taken into account by the WTO. Graduation is never 
automatically accompanied by favourable conditions. Hence, we should not expect that the LDCs 
would be at the point where they could relinquish LDC flexibilities immediately thereafter. A 
transition period is of utmost importance to graduating LDCs and we bel ieve that the proposed 
transition period in the submission is reasonable to allow these Members to face a significant trade 
and development challenges post -graduation.  The ACP Group can relate to the vulnerabilities of 
LDCs, which the COVID -19 pandemic has  exposed and exacerbated. Our systems are fragile, and it 
only takes a global crisis of this magnitude to inflict  irreparable damage to our economies, lives and 
livelihoods. LDCs  already grapple to be fully integrated into the global trading system and a pandemic 
is unravelling all the strides that have been made over the decades of war. The ACP Group supports 
the LDC Group submission, we look forward to further productive engagem ent on the matter in order WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  to support LDCs, including graduating LDCs, in their development aspirations and integrating into 
the multilateral trading system. We can put Ministers in a comfortable position to approve this 
decision when the meet. I thank you , Chair.  
9.12.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
9.13.   I make th is statement on behalf of the Pacific Group . We thank the LDC Group for the draft 
Ministerial Decision to support the smooth transition of graduating LDC Members. We also associate 
ourselves with a statement just made by Jamaica on behalf of the ACP , as with the one made by 
Chad on behalf of the LDC Group.  Apart from the loss of trade preferences and Aid for Trade support 
after graduation, L DCs face ongoing challenges from climate change as well as from frequent and 
severe natural disasters that undermine the development efforts. Pacific LDCs, in particular, face 
high trade costs associated with our remoteness and smallness. Graduation will n ot remove the se 
structural challenges. We therefore reiterate our support for the draft decision as it will provide 
greater certainty and predictability for LDC Members through the continuation of market access and 
aid for trade support for 12 years after graduation. This is necessary to facilitate the smooth and 
successful transition and to better integrate them into the multilateral trading system. We ask 
Members to support the proposal.  
9.14.   The representative of the United States  delivered the following statement:  
9.15.   We thank the LDC Group for the proposal in W/829 and W/807, which we commented on at 
previous General Council meetings. In our view, the issue of LDC graduation raises some important 
questions of equity and fairness, and given that LDC  Members face different challenges and unique 
circumstances, we don’t agree that a one -size-fits-all approach to S&DT is a wise approach.  This 
said, we have taken note of the LDC Group 's interest in technical assistance, in Paragraph 4.ii of 
W/829.  We thin k there could be an opportunity, at the expert level, to discuss a better approach to 
technical assistance for LDCs aimed at the implementation of WTO rules, and perhaps better link 
with other WTO processes, such as Trade Policy Reviews.  As an initial matt er, we are  not sure that 
such a discussion need s to be limited only to graduating LDCs – it could be relevant and helpful to 
all LDCs.  As we foresee further discussion of certain issues, particularly related to technical 
assistance to LDCs, we look forward  to continuing this conversation.  
9.16.   The representative of Cambodia  delivered the following statement:  
9.17.   Cambodia supports and associate with the statement of Chad on behalf of the LDC Group and 
other LDC Group Members . We would like to thank you , Chair, for fa cilitating the discussion on this 
issue.  Graduating out of LDC status indicate s the level of achievement and development of a country 
but it also brings  about new challenges which the newly graduated country would need to face.  No 
LDC should be discouraged  from striving to graduate from the LDC status and there should be a 
smooth transition when  moving up to another level. Therefore, the proposed extension would 
provide this much needed time for graduated countries to adjust to new surroundings and make 
appropriate adjustments to sustain their level of development.  As mentioned by our colleague from 
Bangladesh, this proposal call s for granting on a voluntary basis preferential market access to 
graduating LDCs  which would  phase out 6 to 9 years. There is also a post MC12  work program me. 
I would like to point out , once again , that the  LDCs' share of world export of goods is currently at 
1.01% , and it will hover around that rate for the foreseeable future ; and this takes into acco unt 
LDCs receiving preferential market access.  Therefore, the proposed transition period would go a long 
way in sustaining and accelerating the level of development of graduating LDCs and would help them 
avoid falling into a situation that halts their  development progress.  I would like to point out that the 
LDC group has been listening to the views of all Members and has made appropriate adjustments 
which reflect strong flexibility and full engagement on our part.  Therefore, we hope that the 
Membership coul d consider favourably  the LDC proposal.  
9.18.   The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
9.19.   According to the newly released WTO report  entitled " Boosting trade opportunities for least -
developed countries ", LDCs have made remarkable progress in r ecent years in meeting graduation 
thresholds, with one -third of LDCs on the path to graduation from LDC status. However, in  the area 
of trade, we also learn from the WTO's report that , between 2011 and 2020, LDC exports decreased WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  at an average annual rate of 0.7%. Furthermore, LDC share in global goods exports decreased from 
1.05% in 2019 to 1.01% in 2020, the lowest level since 2010. Therefore, the phasing out of 
international support measures associated with LDC status could present challenges for graduat ing 
LDCs, especially at a time when the COVID -19 pandemic is threatening to derail their hard -won 
socio-economic developments.  The revised proposal submitted by the LDC group has taken into 
account M ember s' views  expressed  in previous discussions and show s the flexibility and positive 
engagement of the LDC Group.  China supports the smooth transition for graduated LDCs . Since 
2013, China has provided 3 years transitional period to graduated LDCs. We call for Member s' 
collective, constructive and open -minded engagement in the discussions, with a view to helping 
them in their struggle in fighting against poverty.  
9.20.   The repr esentative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
9.21.   We associate ourselves with the statement by the ACP as well as the statement that will be 
delivered by the African Group. Chair, we support the continued efforts of the LDC Group towards a 
mean ingful outcome on the matter of LDC graduation and recall our previous statements on this 
issue. We believe that the LDC Group has formulated a well -reasoned proposal.  South Africa, 
therefore, reiterates its supports for the submission and looks forward to  constructive discussions 
towards the Ministerial Decision at the MC12. It is important for the multilateral trading system to 
deliver on issues impacting its most vulnerable Members, particularly during these uncertain times. 
It is also important that the  WTO supports efforts that will ensure effective participation of LDCs in 
global trade, including development.  
9.22.   The representative of  the Philippines  delivered the following statement:  
9.23.   The Philippines thank the LDC Group for its proposal in WT/GC/W/807 and GC/W/829. While 
the Philippines did not join the WTO as an LDC, we have had a fair amount of experience in facing 
the end of various transition periods and other entitlements reserved only for developing countries 
in various specific situations, such as Ar ticle VIII (b) of GATT 1994 and Article XXVIII of the Subsidies 
Agreement. We, therefore, understand the aim of the proposal from the LDC Group. The Philippines 
believes that all Members will be able to manifest utmost understanding for the LDC situation, 
especially those who are poised  to graduate from that status. A smooth transition can indeed take 
the form of an extension period albeit one that is not excessively long, and it may also take other 
forms, let’s say, build on existing preferential market ac cess. In concluding, the Philippines welcomes 
the proposal of the LDC Group and wishes to congratulate the LDC Members who have grown, 
competed and succeeded and who are now on the verge of leaving their LDC status and joining other 
developing countries in  continuing the road to economic prosperity.  
9.24.   The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
9.25.   The European Union is mindful of the challenges that Least Developed Countries face in 
integrating in the global trading system. The Eu ropean Union does believe that there should be 
support and flexibilities for WTO members, commensurate with their needs and capacity constraints, 
beyond the group of LDCs.  In the specific area of trade, the aim of the European Union is to focus 
on how to f acilitate and enhance the capacity of countries to assume commitments that foster 
integration in the global economy. In our view , that is the best way that the WTO can effectively 
contribute to sustainable development. The European Union will continue to s upport constructive 
initiatives to better integrate Members with capacity constraints into the multilateral trading system, 
and to take into account in that connection the specific situation of graduating LDCs. We especially 
encourage discussions based on analysis that show where specific difficulties exist.  
9.26.   The representative of the Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
9.27.   Speaking under Agenda Item 9.A, Nigeria  wishes to thank Chad and the LDC Group for their 
proposal. In general, Nigeria supports the p roposal because we believe that graduated LDCs require 
support during their transition period to foster stability. Graduated LDCs should have recourse to 
LDC specific flexibilities within an agreed time frame during their transition period. We also wish to  
call on Members granting unilateral trade preferences to consider extending the benefits to 
graduated LDCs over a reasonable period. Speaking under Agenda Item 9.B, as earlier  indicated, 
Nigeria believe that it is of critical importance for graduated LDCs  to have recourse to LDC specific 
flexibilities during their transition period to foster stability. However, the Membership would need to WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  work out an appropriate time frame that graduated LDCs would continue to enjoy LDC specific 
flexibilities. We take not e of the proposed time frame contained in paragraph 1 of the Annex to this 
proposal. We would continue to engage constructively with the proponents and Members so we can 
collectively agree on an appropriate time frame. We also call on the Proponent to shed  light on the 
type of most favourable  special and differential treatment granted to other developing countries 
Members that is envisaged under paragraph 5 of the Annex. This would deepen our understanding 
of the rationale for the request.   
9.28.   The representati ve of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
9.29.   Japan recognizes the importance of providing special measures for developing countries and 
LDCs to join the multilateral trading systems smoothly . Japan has offered special preferential 
treatment for LDCs and a generalized system of preferences to a wider range of developing 
countries.  Regarding the proposal by the LDC group, preferential tariff systems and the period for 
which they are implemented normally reflect the situation of a providing country and its 
beneficiaries. We should therefore carefully consider the issue of presenting a standard for the 
extension period.  We believe that technical -level discussions are necessary to advance work on this 
issue and suggest that we discuss this at a related committe e, such as the LDC sub -committee under 
the CTD.  We will continue to constructively engage in this discussion.  
9.30.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
9.31.   Cameroon, on behalf of the African Group, thank s the LDC  Group  coordinator, Chad, for its 
comprehensive report and associates itself with the statement delivered and  the proposals put 
forward  by the LDCs. We fully support the LDCs proposal, which is in line with the Marrakesh 
Agreement. We should spare no efforts to ensure a smooth transition of graduated LDCs and pave 
their way to development. We take note of the reservations expressed by some Members on 
elements  that we can overcome  through  open discussions. It is worth noting that accepting  the LDC 
proposal should have no negative impact on global trade. LDCs amount to 1% of global trade . The 
question that we are asking is the following: what signal would we send  if we undermine this proposal 
and dismiss it ? Moreover, a recent report illustrated how LDCs have been highly impacted by the 
pandemic . The GDP of most LDCs has shrunk, in spite of numerous efforts to contain the pandemic 
and its impact. Therefore, we call on Members to further engage constructively, with the aim  of 
reaching a consensus a t the earliest possible date before MC12.  
9.32.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
9.33.   My delegation wishes to thank the LDC Group for the revised submission. We are cognizant 
of the adverse impact of the pandemic on LDC e xports of goods and services. We also sadly 
acknowledge that the world is no closer to achieving the goal of doubling the share of LDC trade 
today than it was 10 years ago. The UN Istanbul Program of Action for the LDCs calls for the 
development of smooth transition strategies for graduating LDCs. I wish to highlight that 
mainstreaming the trade -related elements of the Istanbul Program of Action is actually part of the 
work program adopted by a WTO body, namely the Subcommittee on LDCs. The Subcommittee is 
tasked with considering possible means to implement these elements . In this regard , my delegation, 
like Japan, would prefer that key substantive aspects relating to a smooth transition for graduating 
LDCs be discussed first within  the Committee whose work program covers those very issues. 
Addressing specific issues pertaining to the proposal within the relevant Committee would have 
allowed us to better understand the rationale behind the exten sion of the  preferential scheme from 
a period of six to nine year s. My delegation would be happy to engage in such bottom -up discussions.  
9.34.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
9.35.   India has for long advocated for the integration of LDC's  into the multilateral trading system 
and stands committed to undertake efforts to increase their share in global trade. The LDCs have 
been much adversely affected by the pandemic and therefore they would need a reasonable period 
to overcome the economic, development, technological and health challenges confronting them. To WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  that end, India calls upon Members to take a pragmatic approach, for an expeditious outcome on 
this issue.  
9.36.   The Director -General  delivered the following statement:  
9.37.   I just wanted to say t hat LDC graduation is something to celebrate, and so is an appropriate 
transition period. It is good to see the LDC Group showing requisite flexibility on some of their 
proposals and other Members as well coming forward and showing flexibility . I hope that , with this 
approach , there will indeed be an expeditious solution to the request that has been put forward.  
9.38.   The representative of Chad delivered the following statement:  
9.39.   On behalf of the LDC Group, I wish to thank all of the Members for their support, obs ervations 
and questions. We have also taken due note of everything that was said, including the concerns 
expressed, including  by the United States . We would also like some flexibility from the United States, 
which has expressed concerns that are altogether  legitimate. We will continue discussing with them. 
We are going to provide responses to the questions that were raised in such a way as to smooth out 
divergences and achieve broad consensus regarding our proposal. The LDC Group is pragmatic and 
flexible, as we said in our interim statement, in order to provide a strong response to challenges 
faced by LDCs. There is a possibility of deterioration of circumstances because of COVID -19 which 
as is well -known disproportionately affects LDC populations. We have a pragmatic, determined 
viewpoint and this proposal heads in this direction. This is why the LDC Group reiterates its call to 
all Members to commit themselves in order to move work forward towards a decision on our interim 
proposal before the week of 13 Ju ne 2022. Graduated LDCs do need support and relevant assistance 
in order to adapt to a new trading scenario which inevitably will be shaped by the main players. This 
is what I wanted to say, Chair, having heard the observations by the DG and by Members. We  
reiterate our will to remain pragmatic and flexible in order to find a solution.  
9.40.   The Chair  said that this had been another useful exchange on this matter, which remained of 
great importance to the LDC Group. Members continued to recognize the particular challenges faced 
by LDCs, including by those that had recently graduated or that were about to graduate. The Chair 
also noted Members' readiness to continue engaging with the LDC Group to discuss how to best 
ensure a smooth transition upon graduation. He took this opportunity to encourage all delegations 
to constructively engage on this issue and  to continue to work to find a way forward that is acceptable 
to everyone.  
9.41.   The General Council took note  of the statements made.  
10  IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM IN 
PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL MC12 – COMMUNICATION FROM ARGENTI NA; 
AUSTRALIA; BRAZIL; BRUNEI DARUSSALAM; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA  RICA; 
DOMINICA; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; EUROPEAN UNION; 
GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; HONG KONG, CHINA; ICELAND; ISRAEL; JAPAN; KAZAKHSTAN; 
KENYA; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; LAO PEOP LE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC; LIECHTENSTEIN; 
MEXICO; REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA; MONGOLIA; MONTENEGRO; MOROCCO; NEW ZEALAND; 
NORWAY; PANAMA; PERU; PHILIPPINES; QATAR; SINGAPORE; SWITZERLAND; THE 
SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU; THAILAND ; 
TURKEY; UKRAINE; UNITED  KINGDOM; URUGUAY AND VANUATU (WT/GC/W/841/REV.1)  
10.1.   The Chair recalled that this item was included in the agenda of the General Council at the 
request of Switzerland on behalf of the co -sponsors, together with the communication in 
WT/GC/W/841/Rev.1. It was the Chair's understanding that the delegation of Vanuatu would 
introduce the item on behalf of the co -sponsors.  
10.2.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the co -sponsors , delivered the following 
statement:  
10.3.   This communication has been circulated and has been co -sponsored by Argentina, Australia, 
Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong  Kong, China ; Iceland, Israel, 
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the Republic of Korea, the State of Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Republic, Lichtenstein, Mexico, the Republic of Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, New 
Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland, The Separate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and  Matsu, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, 
Uruguay, and the Republic of Vanuatu. This statement  has been circulated to show our commitment 
to a successful re convened MC12, as per the DG ' explanation  yesterday , on 23 February . We hope 
that the Ministerial Conference will take place on the week of 13 June 2022. We as a group of 
developing and developed countries confirm our commitment to a successful MC12. Suppo rting this 
statement, we are conscious of the critical contributions that the WTO must provide to address the 
pandemic . We have heard many  views expressed yesterday under items 6 and 7  on the A genda.  We 
recognize that this institution, the WTO, must agree to a proper response to this issue . At MC12 , our 
challenge is to ensure that all Members agree to ensure cooperation, coordination and solidarity to 
achieve a good response to the pandemic. We affirm our confidence for a predictable, transparent, 
non-discriminatory , rules-based and open multilateral trading system . We are reaffirming our 
support  to the multilateral system under which  we are operating. We urge all Members to build on 
the progress already made and to sustain the momentum on the discussions he ld thus far. We ask 
that we work towards an agreement on fisheries subsidies, dealing with the SDG 14.6 , to address 
oceans, seas and marine resources . We commit to continuing reforms under Article XX of the 
Agreement on Agriculture  and to there being some commitment on the WTO reform.   
10.4.   The representative of  the Dominican Republic  delivered the following statement:  
10.5.   Since this is the first time we have taken the floor at this meeting, allow me to welcome the 
new colleagues and to express our best wishes to th ose colleagues who are leaving. At the same 
time, we wish to thank Mr Victor do Prado for his valuable contributions to this organization for 
almost two decades. When the Marrakesh Agreement was signed in 1994 , the Members of this 
Organization placed a mil estone towards a complete review of the trading system that had 
functioned for more than four decades but with clear inadequacies in the light of emerging 
economies . It was essential to introduce drastic changes in order to take on board the new realities 
and the beginnings of market globalization. 25 years later , at the WTO, the body that represents us 
through its structure and its standards has been quite an achievement in setting up a multilateral 
trading system which is predictable, transparent and equi table. Now, however, we are bogged  down 
on fundamental issues such as a dispute settlement system which works, a response to the COVID -
19 pandemic that has taken away about 6 million human lives in the last two years, and the huge 
economic and social crisis in its wake. For this reason, ou r delegation associates itself with the co -
sponsors of document WT/GC/W/841/Rev.1 . We reiterat e our support for a strengthened multilateral 
trading system in which Members can find points of convergence in order to generate responses 
expected by our countr ies and our agenda.  
10.6.   The Dominican Republic is in favour of a holistic approach to the discussions on the response 
to the pandemic, which includes intellectual property rights and the text so carefully drafted by 
Ambassador Walker . However, we  also conside r that we need to strengthen existing mechanisms in 
the WTO which , as trade regulators , are within our reach. This exercise should enable us to focus 
on aspects within the competence of this organization , such as taking stock of the difficulties and 
obstac les faced by each of Member  in the process of acquiring vaccines and necessary medical and 
pharmaceutical imports needed to combat the pandemic . It would  also enable us to identify 
bottlenecks which interrupt the supply chains so that each case can be give n priority in an urgent 
way in each relevant committee. In this way, the WTO can contribute to creating a forum for 
exchanging ideas amongst Members which will enable us to face the challenges of the COVID -19 
pandemic. These contributions can define polici es in the case of a possible future similar crisis. Also, 
we welcome the fact that in this meeting we have already managed to agree on a date for the 
Ministerial Conference. We a lso welcome the fact that we are making progress on the fisheries 
subsidies ' text and in our discussions held within CoA -SS in order to give a high value present to the 
Director -General  for her first year in office . 
10.7.   The representative of Ukraine  delivered the following statement:  
10.8.   Ukraine would like to thank Switzerland and all co -sponsors for the ir active position to 
preserve the progress that has been made in all areas of negotiation with a view to achieving 
consensual results. Advancing the WTO's work to continue the reform process is one of the main 
priorit ies for Ukraine. Regrett ably, we have to express our deepest concerns about the possibility to 
achiev e these priorities in the face of the looming crisis. The President of Russian Federation has 
announced the start of a new wave of aggression against Ukraine. This is an act of wa r against the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine . It is  a brutal violation of the United Nations Charter  
and of basic norms and principles of international law. Today, all the efforts of the international 
community to build back, develop and flourish the state of the WTO are under a blatant and 
unprovoked attack.  Ukraine has activated its right to self -defence , in accordance with international 
law. Ukraine calls on the international community to act immediately. In this regard, Ukr aine would 
like to inform the Members that all its resources and measures , including trade and economic 
measures,  will be directed to maintain its national economy and save the lives of Ukrainian people. 
We also would like to emphasize that , in the face of  a military aggression , Ukraine cannot guarantee 
the fulfilment of its obligations under the WTO Agreements . The l ives, security and well -being of 
Ukrainian citizens are at stake , but also that of citizens of the entire ty of Europe . The future of the 
world  depends on our joint and unified response as well. I wholeheartedly would like to thank 
Members for their support and supportive statements.  
10.9.   The representative of Uruguay  delivered the following statement:  
10.10.   I thank all the co -sponsors for their statements , with which we agree. Regarding the 
statement on this subject, and in order to avoid repetition, I am going  to focus on two aspects which , 
in our view, are fundamental : the dispute settlement system and agriculture. From a systemic 
viewpoint, the membersh ip needs to repair the dispute settlement system, the absence of an 
Appellate  Body and the frequent vacuum  on special issues means that , in practice , it is not possible 
to have the Agreements that the WTO respected . We recognize the concerns of some Member s. We 
believe that the time has come to initiate a dialogue in order to repair this fundamental pillar of the 
organization. Agriculture is and has been a  priority for my country historic ally. Unfortunately, we 
have to express our regret that this continues  to be the most distorted and protected part of world 
trade . Creating a balanced equitable system for agriculture is still pending for this organization. For 
this reason, we cannot allow ourselves to have a new Ministerial Conference without tangible and 
balanced results that cover all the pillars of the Agreement on Agriculture.  
10.11.   The representative of Costa Rica  delivered the following statement:  
10.12.   Costa Rica is pleased to co -sponsor this communication.  The WTO has proved to be a key 
instrument for developmen t and must continue to play that role. The Twelfth Ministerial Conference 
is a good opportunity to reflect on what role this organization should play in the world today and in 
the future, what its purpose is, why we are participating in the multilateral  trading system, why we 
want it to work well and what must be improved for it to stay relevant.  Building a global, fair and 
prosperous trading environment is an ongoing task that requires a lot of effort, flexibility and political 
will. Never before has there been such a great need to restore confidence in the WTO. To do so, it 
is important to recogn ize the shared responsibility of all its Members and begin reforming the 
Organization so that it can respond to current challenges under its three pillars: dispute settlement, 
monitoring and negotiation. We must approach this task with pragmatism and solid arity and avoid 
mercantilist positions. This way, the Organization can continue to be the best tool for combating 
protectionism and facilitating trade between its Members.  
10.13.   The representative of Brazil  delivered the following statement:  
10.14.   I would just like t o highlight our full support for this declaration and to add that , with MC12 
in sight , we should first focus on the four most pressing issues we face. On agriculture, we should 
focus on a reform under Article XX that supports food security, international t rade in agriculture and 
encourages sustainable agriculture and food systems. On WTO reform, we need to revitalize the 
dispute settlement, monitoring and deliberative functions ; we do not need MC12 for this work to 
begin . In fact, we should start very soon.  On fisheries  subsidies , we need a meaningful agreement 
that shows that the WTO can deliver both on trade and environmental issues. And finally, on the 
WTO's response to the current and future pandemics, we must demonstrate that multilateral rules 
are part  of the solution.  
10.15.   The representative of Mexico  delivered the following statement:  
10.16.   I would like to begin by expressing my solidarity towards those people being affected, in 
situations which make it difficult to retain civilized relations amongst countries.  In connection with 
the proposal presented by  Vanuatu, it is a strong appeal f rom a majority of Members for a successful 
outcome at the next Ministerial Conference . We have to deal with most pressing issues today, our WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  contribution to future pandemics, fish eries subsidies, agriculture and the necessary reform of the 
WTO. We assure that the issues mentioned and the  proposed  solutions will help contribute to a 
successful outcome at MC12.  
10.17.   The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
10.18.   I wan t to start by stating that Australia condemns the unjustified and unlawful attack on 
Ukraine.  As our Foreign Minister has said two hours ago, there is no justification for this aggression.  
It is a grave day indeed for the international community.  These act ions today are a reminder, if we 
needed one, of the importance of the global rules and norms which underpin cooperation in the 
multilateral system.  It should be a reminder for all of us here of the importance of investing in , and 
protecting , the rules and norms of organisations such as ours.  One of those norms is the norm of 
openness and another is support for the rules.  We need to recognise that this is not just any other 
Ministerial Conference.  It is a potential inflection point for the multilateral tradi ng system.  Make no 
mistake. If we cannot make strides forward on multilateral rulemaking – such as in agriculture , as 
just noted by Uruguay - then we will be facing a serious risk to the future of multilateral rulemaking 
in general.  We will be driving forw ard on rulemaking in innovative formats.  If we cannot make 
immediate strides forward on the restoration of effective dispute settlement, we will have weakened 
the international rule of law even further . We need to work urgently on that issue.  Australia is 
pleased to support the present  initiative.  In particular, we wish to emphasise the importance of 
getting to work on substantive reforms to the WTO and making them happen in a meaningful 
timeframe. This includes re -establishing an effective dis pute settlement system. It is critical that 
WTO Members can resolve their disputes fairly and promptly.  Innovative approaches to new 
rulemaking are also high on our agenda – it is a key  way of demonstrating the WTO 's continued 
relevance to the way modern b usiness is done. We  are already seeing runs on the board, and we 
need to keep up momentum.  It is also important to reform the WTO 's transparency mechanisms to 
make them stronger and more effective in ensuring that rules are effective and enforceable. Austr alia 
is committed to begin work on reform immediately in an open -minded and inclusive manner.  
10.19.   The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
10.20.   As this is my first intervention today, I want this room and this organization to understand 
that Canada strongly condemns the egregious attack on Ukraine. These unprovoked attacks are a 
clear violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and existing obligations under international law.  
Canada thanks Vanuatu for its presentation of the statement on behalf of the co -sponsors. Canada 
shares the co -sponsors' commitment to a successful MC12 and will continue to engage with all 
Members to ensure that the WTO can fulfil its role in ensuring a rules -based multilateral trading 
system that meaningfully con tributes to global challenges facing its Members. These challenges 
include our common efforts to agree on a WTO's response to the pandemic, to conclude our 
negotiations on harmful fisheries subsidies and agriculture , and to work on WTO reform, including 
dispute settlement. On this last point, we want to echo the sentiment expressed in the statement 
on the urgen cy and the need to reform this organization. We view these reforms as crucial to ensure 
the WTO continues to be useful for all Members and so that it  can respond to current and emerging 
trade issues. We urge all Members to come together now to truly begin the hard work required to 
achieve meaningful, realistic and pragmatic reforms to the WTO.   
10.21.   The representative of Guatemala  delivered the following st atement:  
10.22.   Guatemala is a co-sponsor  the document presented  by Vanuatu . We wish to reiterate our 
commitment to the multilateral trading system and to a successful outcome at the next Ministerial 
Conference. In this sense, we encourage Members to work activel y in order to conclude the 
negotiations on fisheries subsidies , to provide a response to the pandemic and also to continue with 
the reform under Article XX of the Agreement on Agriculture . We also  need to begin work on WTO 
reform regarding  negotiations, monitoring  and dispute settlement.  
10.23.   The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
10.24.   The support for the statement from countries, rich and poor, large and small, players of 
cricket and football, reminds us that we have more in common than some would like to think. The 
statement shows a real commitment at the WTO for a successful outcome a t MC12. Yesterday we 
agreed on a date for MC12 which will bring the much -needed focus and momentum back to our WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  discussions. We , as supporters of the statement , believe that the Membership must come to an 
agreement on all four of the key pillars for MC12 : health, fisheries  subsidies , reform  and agriculture . 
We also should not forget about renewing the moratorium on customs duties  on electronic 
transmissions . The date  for MC12  is a starting point . We now need a clear work programme to give 
us focus and direct ion; we have to get the process right. We would welcome the DG and the GC 
Chair setting a direction with the Chairs of each negotiating areas, including  by engaging Ministers 
in advance of the Conference. There are also areas where we can start to make pro gress now ahead 
of MC12. On reform, it is especially important we capitalize on the momentum we saw before the 
postponement. Let us think creatively about how we can advance on this issue. It is particularly true 
for commencing work on WTO disputes settlem ent, where we have seen ambition from Members to 
take meaningful action. We are in greater need now more than ever  – as we have seen so starkly 
this week  – of ways to ensure that we stick to the rules and abide by international law. We should 
also consider  how we make progress now on the wider reform agenda. As our Ambassador said, 
Geneva needs to become the city that never sleeps ; we have just over three months and there are 
some major divisions that we need to bridge to secure a successful outcome. It is our firm belief 
that we can get there . We can do it , but it will require hard work and flexibility from us all. The UK 
will roll up its sleeves and we look forward to getting stuck in with you all.  
10.25.   The representative of Switzerland  delivered the following statement:  
10.26.   Switzerland also condemns the attack on Ukraine . We call on Russia to put an end to its 
military actions and to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian soil. Switzerland is in favour of a political 
solution to the conflict and remains available if we can  facilitate discussions in any way , if the parties 
to the conflict so wish. Switzerland welcomes the decision to hold MC12 in June. In this regard, the 
Statement on Immediate Action, supported by Switzerland, is very timely. It is important t o build 
on the progress that has been made in all areas under negotiation, with a view to reaching pragmatic 
and tangible outcomes. This applies to all areas under negotiation, with a focus on trade and health 
– including the role of intellectual property – fisheries subsidies, agriculture and WTO reform. We 
believe that WTO reform in its three core functions is necessary and urgent. We are therefore ready 
to start work without delay and to do so in an open -minded manner.  
10.27.   The representative of Chinese Taipe i delivered the following statement:  
10.28.   My delegation thanks the proponents for explaining the background and reasons for raising 
this important Agenda item . We w ish to  align ourselves with the statement made by Vanuatu , on 
behalf of the proponents. We suppor t this proposal in reaffirming Members ' commitment in urging 
immediate actions to ensure a successful MC12.  Having a successful MC12 has been more urgently 
needed than ever , at this critical time. The proper function ing of multilateral trading system is 
essential for sustaining the livelihood of vulnerable people and underpinning global economic 
recovery for the post -COVID era . The WTO has been tested in its ability to deliver multilateral 
outcome s on any critical issue as well as long -awaited actions regar ding the organisation's  reform 
process. We are glad to see the opportunity of reconvening MC12 in June. Having a target date for 
MC12  will certainly revitalize the momentum and reinforce our negotiating efforts towards pragmatic 
and tangible outcome s in key areas, including the WTO's response to the pandemic, fisheries 
subsidies and WTO reform, to which my delegation has attached significant  importance.  My 
delegation will engage with Members constructively on all pillars leading up to MC12.   
10.29.   The representative of Brunei Darussalam  delivered the following statement:  
10.30.   We would like to thank Vanuatu for presenting  this statement on immediate acti on to support 
the multilateral trading system in preparation for MC12 , for which we have agreed on a date 
yesterday. W e are pleased to support and co -sponsor the statement . In our view it is important for 
us all to show continuous solidarity and commitment , particularly during these uncertain times.  
Among other things the statement highlights the importance of addressing the COVID -19 pandemic, 
an issue of great priority to Brunei Darussalam. We are currently battling a third wave. On the 
pandemic response,  the statement focuses on the importance of cooperation, coordination and 
solidarity in multilateral trad e rules and on the diversification of global production and distribution 
of vaccines. We feel that this  language represents a balancing act between the  positions of the two 
main sides ; it reflects shared sentiments. The statement also highlights the importance of several 
substantive issues under negotiations, namely fisheries subsidies, agriculture, dispute settlement 
and WTO reform. In a general manner,  we want to highlight our continuous commitment to resolve 
these matters.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  10.31.   The representative of Mongolia  delivered the following statement:  
10.32.   Mongolia  has been and remains  supportive of the WTO and the multilateral trading system. 
Mongolia has constantly mai ntained its  position that the improv ement  and the reform of the WTO 
should be in the interest of all Members, large and small, developed and developing. At the same 
time, Mongolia is of the view that the benefits of international trade should be reaped by all, including 
land-locked vulnerable economies. The meaningful integration of those with vulner able economies 
into the multilateral trading system is essential. The upcoming MC12 should address all aspects of 
the challenges which the multilateral trading system is facing  today. Noting the common position 
and solidarity of WTO Members to continue wor k on the progress achieved, Mongolia joined a group 
of developed and developing to confirm our commitment to a successful MC12 and to express our 
readiness to support every effort aiming at achiev ing this goal.  
10.33.   The representative of Peru delivered the fol lowing statement:  
10.34.   We would like to welcome the intervention made by Vanuatu on behalf of the Members 
supporting this statement . We echo that  intervention and  Peru aligns itself with the statement which , 
in our view, is a declaration of intention with regar d to the urgency for all Members not to diminish 
their efforts in these difficult times. We need to ensure a response to the ongoing pandemic . We 
also need an agreement on fisheries subsidies that has been lagging behind for so long  – but it is 
not unachie vable . We also need a reform under Article XX of the Agriculture Agreement . Finally, we 
need a reform of the functions of the WTO . Given the WTO's  role in the multilateral trading system , 
we welcome the fact that a target date has been chosen for MC12, which will allow us to organize 
our work accordingly .  
10.35.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
10.36.   As one of the co -sponsors of the statement, Japan associates itself with the statement made  
by Vanuatu.  Japan fully supports the multilateral  trading system , with the WTO at its core , and 
stresses the importance of advancing our work to deliver concrete outcomes at MC12, despite its 
postponement. In particular, it is essential to achieve results in areas such as the WTO's pandemic 
response, fisheries subsidies, agriculture and WTO refo rm. We should advance our negotiations, 
building upon the progress made until the end of 2021. Japan appreciates that this statement shows 
the unwavering commitment of Members to the success of MC12. We would like to encourage more 
Members to join and supp ort this statement.  
10.37.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
10.38.   Russia welcomes the statement delivered in document WT/GC/W/841/Rev.1 . We support  
most of its main points , especially those which echo the relevant paragrap hs of the draft MC12 
outcome document including the language on the WTO reform . Members , including Russia , have 
worked intensively on this  last fall. However, we should think of what is most needed  at this moment : 
yet another political statement , or real e fforts to ensure a successful MC12 ? I would like to echo 
those delegations who recalled that the time is of the essence. We  should do our best to sustain the 
momentum of our negotiations, which  has already started to evaporate. Let us not fall into the tra p 
of continuously declar ing our common intention in statements and rather concentrate on text -based 
discussions of specific agreements. Having heard some interventions this morning, I would like to 
stress that we should refrain from discussing , in the WTO and its bodies , issues and events which 
are out side the scope of the WTO . They are under t he focus of other international organizations and 
diplomatic agencies. The WTO is not in its best shape ; we should not further complicate its 
functioning. Let us not just be government officials, let us be professionals.  
10.39.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
10.40.   Nigeria wishes to thank the proponents of the proposal on Immediate action to Support the 
Multilateral Trading System in Preparation for a Successful MC12. We believe that it is in our 
collective interest to work towards supporting the multilateral trading  system and ensur ing a 
successful MC12. The world expects the WTO to deliver results at MC12 that would underpin post -
pandemic  economic recovery and widen the circle of prosperity. Nigeria would therefore continue to 
support efforts geared towards restorin g and rebranding the WTO as a key pillar of global economic 
governance, that underpins a transparent, equitable and inclusive multilateral trading system. WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  However, to achieve the desired outcome, we need to effectively define our priorities so that we can 
deliver people -centred  and development -oriented outcomes at MC12 , that would foster inclusive 
growth and development . We have taken note of the priorities and MC12 outcomes envisaged in the 
submissions contained in document WT/GC/W/841/R ev.1. However, in o ur view, this submission did 
not take into account the yearnings of developing countries like Nigeria , for a fairer multilateral 
trading system. It also appears the proposal accords higher priority to agriculture reform than food 
security. However, we woul d continue our constructive engagement with the proponents so that we 
can collectively work towards the delivery of balanced and equitable outcomes in all areas of 
negotiations at MC12.   
10.41.   The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  delivered the following statement:  
10.42.   We thank the cosponsors of document WT/GC/W/841/R ev.1 for their submission as well as 
for the consultations. Dominica, a member of the OECS , is also a co -sponsor of this document. 
Indeed, the submission contains many of the elements which we find useful to underpin success at 
MC12. Our commitment to balanced, development -oriented and meaningful outcomes in areas such 
as fisheries and agriculture goes without saying. We renew our call  to Members to better appreciate 
and integrate the concerns and interests of developing countries and LDCs into the negotiating 
processes. Of course, we are also unwavering in our support for the reform of the WTO, a process 
which must be inclusive, transp arent and infused with issues of priority to developing countries and 
LDCs. This includes  areas which will bring about structural transformation of their economies and 
greater integration into the global economy. The challenges facing the Appellate Body mu st also be 
resolved with haste. I cannot end without reiterating our commitment to the right of developing 
countries and LDCs to pursue efforts to secure a share in international trade commensurate with the 
needs of their economic development. At MC12, we look forward to Ministers reaffirming the rule of 
special and differential treatment and bringing about such an outcome . We renew our call to all 
Members to engage constructively on the needs and priorities identified by developing countries and 
LDCs for e ffective and appropriate SDT.  
10.43.   The representative of Colombia  delivered the following statement:  
10.44.   I would like to start by reiterating the fact that Colombia categorically rejects the attack 
against Ukraine . These events attack the sovereignty of a country and place  the lives of thousands 
of people in danger . This is a situation contrary  to international law. This unfortunate situation is 
another reason to revaluate the multilateral , rules-based , trading  system and the need we have to 
protect it. As this is the first time Colombia  takes floor at this General Council meeting, I would like 
to begin by wishing every success to the permanent representatives whose terms at this 
Organization are coming to an end . We wish to  thank them for their work. I would also l ike to 
welcome the incoming permanent representatives and assure them of Colombia's close cooperation. 
I also wish to thank V ictor do Prado for his tireless efforts and for his enormous contribution to the 
multilateral trading system in the course of his w ork within  this organization. I wish you every 
success in your future professional endeavours.  This statement by Colombia could have been made 
under Agenda item 2 , on trade negotiations, item  5 on the Ministerial Conference, item 6 on the 
WTO's response to  the pandemic, or under the present  item. Ultimately, the strong, concrete and 
overarching message for this General Council is our need to take immediate action to support the 
multilateral trading system for our upcoming Ministerial Conference.  By the end of June, we should 
be satisfied with the decisions that we take on trade in vaccines and medicines . We should also have 
a complete agreement on fisheries subsidies  and significant progress on agriculture . Lastly, we 
should be in a state of introspectio n concerning the WTO and its need for reform.  This is the intention 
behind our joint call, which relates to  practically all items on the substantive agenda. We endorse 
Vanuatu's statement made today , on behalf of the group of co-sponsors . We call for immed iate 
action to support the multilateral trading system.  
10.45.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
10.46.   India would like to thank the co -sponsors of WT/GC/W/841/Rev.1 for their submission. We 
agree with the broad contents and message contain ed in the submission, including the commitment 
to an early convening of MC12 and ensuring its success. However, we are a bit surprised that, in the 
run-up to MC12, some of the co -sponsors have not really lived up to the statement, neither in letter 
nor spi rit. While the communication emphasizes the commitment of the co -sponsors "to develop a 
tangible and effective WTO response both to the current pandemic and future ones to ensure that 
multilateral trade rules, including the intellectual property system, su pport international efforts to WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  ramp up and diversify the global production of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics as well as to 
promote their development and equitable distribution". We have seen how some Members who are 
also co -sponsors of this communi que have stood in the way of reaching outcomes, which could have 
made a difference to mankind during this pandemic. Their business -as-usual approach during this 
once in a lifetime pandemic situation will be a case -study for this organization. The communica tion 
also emphasizes the commitment of the co -sponsors "to reaching a meaningful agreement on 
harmful fisheries subsidies, in line with SDG 14.6". However, as we have seen during the fisheries 
subsidies negotiations, these Members have shown no willingness  to even discuss and conclude 
negotiations on S&DT provisions and on the principle of "common and differential responsibilities". 
They have constantly argued that S&DT should only be resolved by Ministers and not by experts. 
So, we fail to understand the m eaning of their iterations in this statement on SDG 14.6.  
10.47.   Even more surprising is the co -sponsors' so called commitment "to continuing the reform 
process under Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture with a view to making progress on 
multilateral agric ulture negotiations, in a manner that truly supports food security and encourages 
sustainable agriculture and food systems". All of us know when and how some of these Members 
have been and are continuing to block any meaningful outcome on PSH, a measure ma ndated and 
supported by a large majority of WTO Members to ensure food security. The communication urges 
Members to work towards "reaching pragmatic and tangible outcomes in all areas as soon as 
possible". However, during the negotiations we have seen how some of the co -sponsors have 
continued to hold on to their entrenched positions, while advocating the need for a compromise to 
others. They keep spinning new narratives to justify their positions and interests, while simply 
ignoring positions and interests  of other Members. Its time they ponder and look inwards at how 
their continued resistance has led to deadlocks in this organization which has lasted for decades. As 
we approach MC12, we wish to see some of the co -sponsors of the communication live up to t he 
message it contains, both in letter and spirit. That would really help in ensuring a successful MC12.  
10.48.   The representative of  the Philippines  delivered the following statement:  
10.49.   The Philippines is one of the 71 co -sponsors of th is statement . We note the g eneral common 
purpose we all share in working for a predictable, transparent and non -discriminatory rules -based 
and open multilateral trading system. We therefore will engage with other Members for a successful 
MC12 this June and we call on all delegations  to work in good faith in supporting high impact 
outcomes in the four priority areas : fisheries subsidies, agriculture, WTO reform and pandemic 
preparedness.  
10.50.   The representative of Paraguay  delivered the following statement:  
10.51.   Paraguay would like to thank the proponents for the communication . In this regard, we 
would like to announce that we are in a position to co -sponsor the statement. We agree with the 
proponents regarding the commitment to achieve a successful MC12 and that it should be convened 
as soon as possible. My delegation believes that we must maintain the momentum of the 
negotiations to achieve concrete results on key issues such as the WTO's multilateral response to 
the pandemic  as well as  the reform process under Article 20 of the Agreem ent on Agriculture, with 
results in all the pillars of the negotiation, especially market access . Finally, we must move forward 
with a process o n WTO  reform  in all areas, prioritizing the restoration of the Appellate Body. 
Paraguay considers it important to reinforce the message that a predictable, transparent, non -
discriminatory, rules -based and open multilateral trading system will be essential for a broad -based 
and sustainable economic recovery . For this reason, we are in a position to support  this 
communication and request that we be included as co -sponsors in future revisions.  
10.52.   The representative of Kenya  delivered the following statement:  
10.53.   Kenya joins other co -sponsors of the statement and welcomes the new dates for the long 
awaited MC12. Wit h the lessons learned from the COVID -19 pandemic , we must work towards being 
prepared for similar situations, should they occur in the future. It is for this reason that we support 
all multilateral efforts to develop a tangible and effective WTO response t o both the current and 
future pandemics. We should therefore make the best of the available opportunity to finalise the 
deliberations on WTO response to the pandemic in time for adoption by the Ministers. It is also 
critical that we reinvigorate our moment um and make progress on the outstanding issues which we 
have prioritized for MC12. We should therefore engage in constructive deliberations and conclude WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  the negotiations on fisheries subsidies , as we develop a clear roadmap for reforming the WTO. 
Agricultu re is critical for many Members, especially developing and least developed countries . As 
such, we should strive for an outcome on agriculture which reflects the concerns raised by  many of 
these countries. It is in view of the above that we join the call in support of the multilateral trading 
system in preparation for MC12.  
10.54.   The representative of New Zealand  delivered the following statement:  
10.55.   This is the first time I take the floor in a formal General Council meeting as New Zealand's 
permanent representative . I would like to thank you and other colleagues for your warm welcome . 
I look forward to working with you all. I would further like to register New Zealand's sincere thanks 
to Mr Victor do Prado for his outstanding contribution to the WTO and as wise couns el to our 
delegation over many years . We wish him all the best in the future. I would also take this opportunity 
to note that New Zealand condemns the advance of military personnel and equipment into Ukraine , 
which represents a clear violation of Ukraine's  sovereignty and territorial integrity. We stand with 
the people of Ukraine impacted by this conflict.  We would like to join others in thanking Vanuatu for 
introducing this important document. I take the floor to highlight New  Zealand 's strong support for 
the statement and its objective.  This statement does more than say nice things about the multilateral 
trading system. It envisages work  to be undertaken now on key issues. Even with Ministers meeting 
in June, there are things we must progress to re -lay the  foundation for a successful MC12. There is 
also work to do that does not rely on Ministers coming together. The statement talks about work in 
response to the pandemic. We have heard already about that work , and we strongly support efforts 
that drive towar ds a credible and meaningful response. Our view is that work should continue on 
the basis of the text generated as part of the facilitator -led process at the end of last year. The 
statement envisages work on fisheries. We must work on the basis of the Chai r's latest text to 
progress those technical issues that can be advanced before our Ministers engage to finalise the 
agreement. We thank the Chair for his recent outline of the forward process and call on Members to 
engage with focus and discipline. As with  the pandemic response, the final push is for narrowing the 
remaining gaps in the text, not creating new ones. The statement also  envisages work on reform. 
We know reform means different things to different Members. But it is telling that this group of ove r 
40 Members can come together to commit to work on reform of the negotiating, dispute settlement 
and monitoring functions with open minds and an inclusive approach. We hope that many more 
Members will join this work.  
10.56.   The representative of Sierra Leone  delivered the following statement:  
10.57.   My delegation welcomes the statement made by Vanuatu , on behalf of a group of developing 
and developed  countries. The statement reaffirms confidence in the WTO to deliver on a range of 
issues that are central to multilateralism and free trade. However,  if we are right in raising high 
expectations on WTO, we must also be prepared to show the necessary flexib ility and compromise 
to reach agreements. Let us go to MC12 with the determination to produce real results. As a small 
coastal country, my delegation particularly welcomes the statement with respect to fisheries 
subsidies . We hope that an agreement will be  reached at long last on this rather intractable problem , 
as well as on the problem raised by the Ambassador of Nigeria with respect to food security.  
10.58.   The representative of Turkey  delivered the following statement:  
10.59.   First, I would like to state that Turkey considers the military operation launched by armed 
forces of the Russian Federation against Ukraine unacceptable and rejects it. Turkey's support for 
the political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine will continue. We thank Vanuatu 
for presenting the communication on behalf of the co -sponsors . As one of the co -sponsors of the 
statement , we would like to reiterate our deep commitment to having a successful MC12 in June this 
year.  
10.60.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following  statement:  
10.61.   I would like to thank Vanuatu and the co -sponsors for the paper. South Africa supports the 
need for the Membership to work towards a successful MC12. We also support an inclusive and 
development -oriented multilateral trading system. We welcome the statement's recognition that the 
WTO must provide a critical contribution to address the pandemic. We also welcome the recognition 
that the spread of COVID -19 has led to devastating human tragedy , and we must therefore increase WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  our efforts to prioritiz e further protection of human lives. As we said yesterday and today, in our 
view, the diversification of production is critical to address vaccine inequity and  to ensure 
preparedness and resiliency, not only for the current pandemic but also for future pan demics. 
Therefore, the urgent conclusion  – not just the continuation  – of work on the TRIPS waiver in the 
WTO's response to the pandemic, will pave the way to a successful MC12. We should not wait for 
MC12 to save people's lives. Further more, we should con tinue our work on fisheries subsidies as 
well as agriculture . We believe that S&D T has to be integral to the outcome in both the fisheries and 
agriculture negotiations. In order to ensure a successful outcome, the negotiating mandates must 
be respected. We also agree with Nigeria that there are other developmental issues that are critical 
to ensure that the multilateral trading system delivers on issues of interest to developing countries. 
We will therefore engage with the proponents on these issues.  
10.62.   The representative of Singapore  delivered the following statement:  
10.63.   Singapore thanks  Vanuatu for presenting  the statement. As co -sponsor, Singapore reaffirms 
its commitment to deliver ing a successful MC12. This statement represents the seriousness, 
determination and unity of purpose of a majority of Members to move forward on the negotiations. 
I fully agree that Members that must wal k the talk. In this context, it is even more important t hat 
we should remove the lock from our own eyes. Then we will see clearly and be able to remove the 
speck from the eyes of our brothers.  
10.64.   The representative of  the Republic  of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
10.65.   I would like to share that my government  has also expressed serious concerns over the 
armed attack on Ukraine which has occurred despite the efforts made by  the international 
community. Ukraine 's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected . Disputes should be 
resolved through dialogu e and negotiations , not through armed conflict. Regarding the statement, 
as co-sponsor my delegation believes  that it is high time for Members to step up and deliver tangible 
and substantive outcomes in momentous issues , including the WTO's response to pan demic, fisheries 
subsidies and agriculture. As for WTO reform, Korea remains adamant  that a reform of all three 
functions of the WTO is necessary . We call for launching genuine and creative discussions about key 
areas  and for a timeline to systemically add ress these  issues. We would like to see a reform task 
force or a working group to conduct  related discussions in an open, inclusive, transparent and timely 
manner.  
10.66.   The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
10.67.   I would like to thank  the proponents for putting forward this document. China fully supports 
taking immediate action to ensure  a successful MC12. Under the context of a global pandemic, it is 
now more than ever the time for the international community to step up on cooperation , coordination 
and solidarity. The WTO can and should contribute  to global economic recovery, and MC12 is our 
best chance  in this regard . China is also of the view  that key deliverables are necessary for a 
success ful MC12 , including  on the  WTO's respo nse to the pandemic , fisheries subsidies, agriculture 
and WTO reform. China calls for Members ' active engagement in relevant discussions so as to better 
prepare for the Ministerial gathering.  Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to 
express o ur appreciation to Ambassador Gloria Peralta  of Costa Rica, as Chair of the CoA -SS, for her 
recent efforts to navigate the agriculture negotiations for the next steps. Together with other 
Members, China will, under the leadership of the Chair, continue to engage in a constructive manner 
with a view to well balancing Members ’ sensitivities, especially those mandated issues such as  PSH. 
These  are legitimate and life -saving concerns raised by developing countries against the backdrop 
of the current pandemic. W e hope to deliver concrete outcomes before MC12 in this regard.  
10.68.   The representative of Vanuatu  delivered the following statement:  
10.69.   On behalf of the cosponsors, I would like to thank all Members who expressed their views . 
We thank those who are joining us as co-sponsors as well and those who have raised their concerns 
and their views . We look forward to  and encourage convergence . We hope that all Members will 
commitment to a successful MC12 and that we will deliver  positive outcomes . 
10.70.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  11  WORK PROGRAMME ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND MORATORIUM ON IMPOSING 
CUSTOMS DUTIES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS – REQUEST FROM INDIA AND SOUTH 
AFRICA  
11.1.   The Chair  said that this item was on the Agenda at the reques t of the delegations of India and 
South Africa and relate d to the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce and the m oratorium on 
imposing c ustoms duties on electronic transmissions.  
 
11.2.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
11.3.   India has been a votary of the rejuvenation of the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce. 
You will recall that, in the run -up to the originally scheduled MC12 in November 2021, India, South 
Africa and Indonesia had presented a communication (WT/GC/W/838/Rev.2) on th e need to 
rejuvenate the Work Programme.  The communication acknowledged the importance of work under 
the Work Programme in examining trade -related issues relating to global electronic commerce, 
taking into account the economic, financial, and development n eeds of developing countries. The 
General Council should now start the process of convening meetings of the Work Programme and 
ensuring that the original mandate in WT/L/274 is adhered to. The Councils for Trade in Goods, 
Services, TRIPS and the Committee on Trade and Development should take up discussions on e -
commerce, as per their respective mandates. India suggests holding a discussion on the role of e -
commerce during the time of the pandemic. Many Members have spoken about how e -commerce 
helped their e conomies during pandemic -led lockdowns. Within the boundaries of every country, 
there may have been positive examples. But did international e -commerce play a big role? It will be 
good to hear Members' experiences specifically linked to cross -border trade.  This agenda item should 
be adopted by the General Council as a standing agenda item for every meeting. Failing this, we will 
continue to propose this Agenda item for General Council as we have done in the past along with 
South Africa.  
11.4.   The representative o f Barbados , on behalf of CARICOM , delivered the following statement:  
11.5.   I make this intervention on behalf of the CARICOM Group. Our Group aligns itself with the 
statement to be delivered by Jamaica on behalf of the ACP Group.  The CARICOM  Group thanks you , 
Chair, for your efforts over the course of last year in respect of the Work Programme on Electronic 
Commerce. We have welcomed the opportunity to engage actively and constructively in structured 
discussions, as well as in the consultations you held with a vi ew to ascertain the way forward on a 
draft decision for the consideration of our Ministers at MC12. Specific reference must be made to the 
consultations in smaller configurations in the days just before the Conference was due to be held, 
and the opportunit y to share, in that context, the views of the CARICOM Group on the orientation 
and substance of the Work Programme following MC12.  As we draw closer to finalising dates and 
arrangements for MC12, we anticipate that we will resume our discussion on the Work  Programme 
and the moratorium in the weeks ahead. We recall that, due to our inability to coalesce around a 
single text, two separate draft Decisions were to be sent to our Ministers for consideration at the 
Ministerial Conference. The postponement of MC12  provides an invaluable opportunity to regroup. 
It is hoped that good -faith discussions in the period ahead will yield a single, clean draft Decision for 
consideration and adoption by our Ministers in June. The CARICOM Group stands ready to continue 
its co nstructive engagement in that regard.  
11.6.   The Group takes the opportunity to reiterate a few elements relating to its proposals for the 
Ministerial outcome and on the Work Programme in general. For the CARICOM Group, engagement 
must go beyond the question of the moratorium. The Group underscores th e great importance it 
attach es to the Work Programme, and not least its development dimension. In light of this, it is 
important for the Ministerial outcome on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce to result in 
more-frequent, structured and substantial  engagement by the Membership within the framework of 
the Work Programme after MC12, as opposed to reinforcing the status quo of limited engagement.  
To this end, the Ministerial outcome on the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce should include 
the follow ing elements: Language related to the reinvigoration of the Work Programme on Electronic 
Commerce based on the mandate outlined in WT/L/274; Text highlighting the importance of 
addressing the development dimension of the Work Programme in particular , and; Language related 
to an instruction from Ministers regarding the intensification of structured discussions, based on 
proposals brought forward by Members. Finally, on the moratorium, even with the postponement of 
the Ministerial Conference we maintain that it would be difficult to resolve the longstanding divergent WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  views on this issue ahead of MC12. The CARICOM Group holds the view, therefore, that the renewal 
of the moratorium until MC13 is the most pragmatic approach to this question at this stage.  
11.7.   The re presentative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
11.8.   We associate ourselves with the statements made by the African Group and the ACP Group. 
South Africa and India have consistently called for structured discussions in the General Council to 
be reinvigorated, this is all the more important in the context of the pandemic which has exposed 
the enormous digital divide. We have submitted a paper (WT/GC/W/833 ) that details  our views on 
the impact of the moratorium , as well as documents on the moratori um itself  (WT/GC/W/798 ). The 
Work Programme  on Electronic Commerce  presents a unique opportunity to engage in a manner 
that promotes an equitable multilateral trading system, conscious of the efforts necessary to narrow 
the digital divide and build a more inclusive digital economy, including by levelling the playing field. 
This necessitates that the WTO considers targeted efforts to enhance the transfer, learning, 
adaptation and diffusion  of technology in developing countries.  We acknowledge that the digita l 
revolution has provided both opportunities and challenges . It is clear to us that the existing digital 
divide has limited the inclusiveness of these  opportunit ies, and this was very pronounced during the 
pandemic. We are finalising papers to take the dis cussions forward. In this regard, Chair, we have 
also already submitted a paper with India to the CTD, titled "Global Electronic Commerce for 
Inclusive Development" (WT/COMTD/W/264 ).  
11.9.   Beyond the relevant  bodies, the role of the General Council remains crit ical including in 
relation to imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions. We reiterate that we remain 
concerned that the moratorium has been renewed every two years without clarity on the scope and 
definition of electronic transmissions. A re consideration of the moratorium is therefore critical . Apart 
from providing an important source of revenue, customs duties are an important industrial policy 
tool to support nascent domestic industries, regulate import surges and facilitate industrializati on. 
The issues identified by Members under the Work Programme must be clarified under a multilateral 
process to enable a common understanding on e -commerce. The absence of a shared and common 
understanding on the scope and definition of electronic commerce  will make the decision on the 
extension of the moratorium at MC12 a difficult one. We must reinvigorate the  Work Programme so 
as to remedy  inequities and broaden the benefits of growing e -commerce. Development aspects of 
electronic commerce , the scope, de finition and impact of the moratorium, an examination of the 
challenges experienced by developing countries and LDCs in relation to e -commerce and exploring 
ways of enhancing the participation of developing countries in e -commerce remain key issues. We 
have submitted papers in this regard.  
11.10.   The representative of the Sri Lanka  delivered the following statement:  
11.11.   My delegation wishes to recall our statements delivered at previous meetings under this 
Agenda it. We wish to reiterate that, although the digital revolution has provided both opportunities 
and challenges  to many developing countries , it is clear that the existing global digital divide has 
limited the inclusiveness of these  opportunit ies. T his has become more visible during the pandemic. 
We are requesting Members to be mindful  of the concerns raised by  many developing countries, 
particularly on the digital and technology divide, to recognize uneven spread of global electronic 
commerce, knowledge and the importance of the work under the Work Pr ogramme. Another  request 
is to continue the Work Programme , as we remain convinced that the reinvigoration of work under 
this mandate should continue to be carried out as a matter of priority. Our consistent request for 
structured discussions in the Genera l Council have not been substantially addressed . This is even 
more important in the context of the pandemic , which has exposed the enormous digital divide. In 
doing so, we renew our request on the need to clarify the scope and impact  of the moratorium . We 
need clarity as to whether the interpretation of the scope of the moratorium is also meant to cover  
or not  the content of the transmission, in addition to the transmission itself.  
11.12.   Further more, we also have to recognize that the expansion of digital trade and digital 
infrastructure is a multifaceted task . It cannot depend only on the extension of the moratorium . 
There are issues of digital industrialization, policy space , loss of revenue , not equating customs 
duties and  internal taxes , and the future expans ion of the area of 3D printing. Keeping all these 
things in mind, it is high time that before extending the moratorium, we must launch  well-structured 
discussions to have clarity on scope and impact , as well as  other relevant issues. We must seize the 
time period we have until MC12 to engage constructively to further the structured discussions on 
the Work Programme  – commencing from the scope of the moratorium  – and also  by benefiting WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  from the proposal s that are before us in various Committees. Sri Lanka th erefore fully supports the 
requests  and the way forward submitted by India, South Africa and Indonesia, as reflected in their 
draft Ministerial Declaration proposing  the reinvigoration of the Work Programme.  
11.13.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the follo wing statement:  
11.14.   Let me begin by extending my appreciation to India and South Africa for bringing this  item 
to the  Agenda. I thank India  and South Africa for briefly highlighting the essence of the issue. My 
delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by Chad on behalf of the LDC group and 
wishes to make some points . First, we need to assess how successfully we implemented the let ter 
and spirit of the Ministerial Declaration adopted  in 1998. I found that we could not deliver as 
expected in the Work Programme. Similarly, e -commerce has been emerging speedily thereafter. 
The d igital economy , including e -commerce , has massively grown during the pandemic. However, 
we, LDCs and LLDCs like Nepal, have not been able to participate in and benefit from e -commerce 
and the digital economy. The LDCs and LLDCs are experiencing a huge digital divide , especially in 
ICT infrastructure,  as well as  institutional and human capacity , and much  more. The digital divide is 
discriminating the world in a more severe manner by increasing the inequality , not only in the level 
of participation in e -commerce , but also in benefiting from it in a just manner. The digital divide is 
perpetuating existing inequalities between and within countries , especially rural vs urban, and poor 
vs rich areas across the world. The u se of information and communication technology for building, 
maintaining and using productive capaci ties is lagging far beh ind in LDCs and LLDCs.  
11.15.   Against this background, my delegation stresses  that the reinvigorating Work Programme 
on Electronic C ommerce has become more relevant in address ing challenges faced by developing 
countries , especially LDCs an d LLDCs , to allow them to  participat e in and benefiting from e -
commerce. It is necessary to ensure digital technologies effectively contribute to shared prosperity 
and support sustainable development in LDCs and LLDCs. Mobilizing resources to bridge the di gital 
divide, lowering the costs of internet access, supporting investment in digital skills and enhancing 
institutional and human capacity, among others , are important aspects  for in LDCs and LLDCs that 
we could address through the Work Programme. My dele gation supports the issues raised by India 
and South Africa on this matter.  Furthermore, in the context of the advancement of technology and 
the digitalization of goods, our traditional customs border administration , including government 
revenue , has been impacted. Therefore, an in -depth assessment is necessary before taking any 
decision on moratorium. Sufficient policy space is required for developing countries especially the 
LDCs and LLDCs. In conclusion, LDCs and LLDCs consider it essential to reinvigorat e the  Work 
Programme  to bridge the existing  huge digital gaps and to have a detailed assessment of the 
implications of continuing with  moratorium before adopting any decision on this matter . 
11.16.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
11.17.   Nigeria has been consistent in its call for the Membership to reinvigorate the 1998 Work 
Programme and explore ways of addressing the difficulties undermining the gains of developing 
countries from global digital trade. In this regard, we co -sponsored the Australian -led proposal on 
exploratory discussions on supporting digital capability of business and consumers in the CTS , which 
gained traction with more Members engaging in the discussions. We support more structured and 
targeted discussions on  both horizontal and vertical issues regarding trade related aspect of e -
commerce under the Work Programme , with a view to setting an inclusive and development -oriented 
agenda for Ministers ' consideration at MC12. Such discussions should  contribute to clarifying the 
scope as well as address ing classification issues. The post-MC12 agenda should include effective 
ways of addressing the North –South digital divide and  the existing  digital exclusion within developing 
countries ' economy.  Regarding the moratorium on customs duties on e lectronic transmission, Nigeria 
is mindful of the negative effects of an unpredictable global e -commerce environment for businesses 
and consumers that is likely to occur from the non -renewal of the moratorium at MC12. This would 
be de vastating given that , globally, economies are still struggling to recover from the impact of 
COVID -19. The world expects the WTO to deliver results at MC12 that would underpin post -pandemic 
economic recovery and widen the circle of prosperity. In this ligh t, Nigeria supports the temporary 
extension of the Morato rium at MC12.   
11.18.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  11.19.   The ACP Group wishes to thank India and South Africa for placing this important item on the 
Agenda of this meeting . We thank them for their statements. We have consistently reiterated that 
the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce is a critical aspect  of the WTO's regular work 
and an essential issue on the General Council's Agenda. We maintain that the WTO must deepen its 
engagement on, and understanding o f, the question of the moratorium on customs duties on 
electronic transmissions. T hese discussions  must go beyond the moratorium and include other 
pertinent issues, such as the extent of coverage of digital and internal taxes. We are concerned that , 
by MC12 , we will again face the expiry of the moratorium should we fail to have a fulsome  discussion 
on the scope, definition and impact of the moratorium. Notwithstanding the strides in the area of 
ICT, we continue to face a significant digital divide within and among countries . This issue must be 
addressed with urgency. This emphasizes the need for structu red discussions in the context of the  
Work Programme and its renewal at MC12. In studying the moratorium, we recognize that some of 
the other areas of interest to our countries include the cost borne by  developing countries and LDCs ' 
consumer s and business es, discrepancies between traditional goods or products and electronic 
equivalents , and the application of internal taxes on electronic transmissions. It is important that 
the Work Programme is prioritized as it encompasses an agreed workstream which will result in 
balanced outcomes on e-commerce. We still think it will be important to take a pragmatic approach 
to discussing within the context of the existing 1998 Work Programme the issues of source code, 
localisation and the impact of data flows as well as  consumer protection.  The ACP Group will play 
our part in ensuring that the Work Programme continues to remain relevant and addresses the issues 
of social and economic interests of our Members. We suggest, once again, that the General Council 
takes up a se ries of issues that are of a cross -cutting nature for example source code, localisation 
and data protection along with the question of the moratorium and its impact on both consumers 
and businesses, the discussions might be organized in informal mode or in  dedicated sessions. The 
ACP Group stands ready to engage with you and with Members in all formats. In its national capacity, 
Jamaica associates itself with the statement delivered by Barbados on behalf of the CARICOM Group.  
11.20.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , delivered the following statement:  
11.21.   The period spanning the pandemic saw an unprecedented acceleration of digitalization and 
a shift of economic activity online. According to the ITU, the number of internet users increased by 
20% among L DCs, accounting for 27% of the population in 2021  and up from 21% of the population 
in 2019. Among LDCs, there is an interesting mix of countries exhibiting a relatively high internet 
penetration rate according to figures from 2019, with Cambodia being the leading country with 78% , 
followed by Djibouti with 59% and the Gambia with 51%. Undoubtedly, an open system benefit s all 
players participating in electronic commerce . Transparent and predictable rules  also benefit 
businesses, especially small and medium -sized companies.  The Asia -Pacific region witnessed a 
particularly impressive growth of electronic commerce activity ; around 56% according to a report 
by ITC. The same report also reveals that electronic comm erce can provide opportunities to diversify 
our exports and tap into higher value -added niche sectors whether in goods or services. For instance, 
in the case of Bangladesh, electronic commerce has contributed to raising exports in consumer 
electronics, bus iness services, packaging and printing. In the case of Cambodia, electronic commerce 
supported the emergence of machinery exports, beauty and personal care products, and agricultural 
products. In terms of diversification, electronic commerce also enabled a  reduction in the level of 
concentration among the top ten export markets – in the case of Bangladesh to 59% , down from 
69% – with regard to overall exports.  
11.22.   Electronic commerce is also an enabler in terms of establishing direct linkages between the 
seller and the consumer, which supports gaining insights and building business intelligence. In 
parallel, the rise of social media and online advertising also contribute towards fuelling the digital 
economy in terms of attracting new customers by gaining visibi lity and generating interest. The 
questions raised by South Africa and India are pertinent for us all. Many responses came forward 
and we must reach sufficient closure to advise our Ministers regarding the  renewal of the e -
commerce decision at MC12. The mo ratorium on customs duties was conceived at a time when 
goods were essentially exchanged through cross -border trade , facilitated through online platforms. 
With the advent of new technologies and the digitalization of goods such as books, CDs, DVDs, trade 
in such goods is certainly impacted. We cannot stop the advancement of technology , and we are 
compelled to recognize that online business opportunities as well as other  areas require greater 
access to digital products, products  that were  formerly traded phy sically.  In light of these 
developments, the question of the moratorium must be tackled in a balanced manner, notably by 
leaving policy and fiscal space for LDCs. As such, more information and case examples should be 
developed in the Work Programme to help  LDCs on internal taxing models, which are becoming the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  trend. This is the reality if the method of trading certain products is no longer the physical crossing  
of borders and subject to tariffs. In parallel, the Work Programme must assist LDCs in bridging the 
digital divide notably in addressing significant infrastructural gaps. We note that the Enhanced 
Integrated Framework  has a facility to help us as well.  
11.23.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
11.24.   The African Group has a very well -known position on this issue. We thank the co -sponsors 
for their proposal which revives discussions on the implementation of this very important Work 
Programme. The  African Group is firmly committed to multilateralism, wh ich remains the only way 
to face collective challenges and strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between people 
and the state. The African Group recalls that the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce 
remains the only framework for consens ual consultation on this very important subject, which 
structures contemporary trade. We welcome the openness expressed by delegations in favour of 
renewing and updating the Work Programme. It is high time that we take fair and appropriate 
decisions on the  moratorium that take into account development s in this field, as well as the 
development need s of Members,  in particular  that of  developing and least developed countries. To 
do so, we need to come together and strive to achieve a common, inclusive and mutually beneficial 
outcome. Therefore, we stand in solidarity with such consensual actions and indicate our constructive 
commitment  in this direction.  
11.25.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
11.26.   Indonesia would like to associate itself with the statement delivered by India and South 
Africa on this important Agenda item.  It is unfortunate that, despite the rapid growth experienced 
by the digital sector , a wide gap  remains regarding  the benefits that could be reaped from this 
sector, particularly between developed and developing countries. It should also be taken into 
consideration that , while digitalisation has al so affected trade, development, distribution and access 
to technology remains uneven between Members.  Hence, we believe proper attention should be 
provided to the surrounding elements arising from the development of digital trade, such as the 
digital divid e. In this regard, we recall that  Members have agreed to establish a comprehensive Work 
Programme to examine all trade -related aspects of e -commerce in 1998. We remain convinced that 
the reinvigoration of the work under this mandate should continue to be carried out. While we 
reiterat e our long -standing position on the issue of moratorium o n custom duties  on electronic 
transmissions , we also reiterate that the discussion to reach clarity and consensus on the scope, 
definition and impact of the moratorium  will be imperative prior to agreeing on any course of action. 
Based on those considerations, Indonesia decided to join India and South Africa in co-sponsor ing 
the document WT/GC/W/838 as a draft Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on E lectronic 
Commer ce.  
11.27.   The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
11.28.   We thank India and South Africa for their proposals and their efforts.  It is worth noting that 
further clarity on the definition and scope of the moratorium will help Members assess its potential 
economic cost and benefits.  In the meantime, the business community is expecting the extension of 
the moratorium at MC12 to keep th e WTO relevant. As we are striving to have an in -person MC12 
soon, we call on Members to work constructively and pragmatically to reach a consensus based on 
the proposal WT/GC/W/831/Rev.2, proposing to extend the moratorium to MC13. This will not only 
provide predictability and certainty to the business community, but also give us room for future 
discussions regarding the implications and the scope of the moratorium.  
11.29.   The representative of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , on behalf of the OECS , delivered 
the following statement:  
11.30.   We also associate ourselves with the statements  made  by the CARICOM and ACP Groups, 
by Barbados and Jamaica respectively. We also thank India and South Africa for their statements 
under this Agenda  item. At MC12 , we look forward to the renewal of the moratorium , consistent with 
the previous WTO practice. We also look forward to the revitalization of the Work Programme 
through mandated and frequent structured discussions on all issues of interest to Members , including 
with respect to the scope and impact of the moratorium. Having said that , and notwithstanding our WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  long-standing commitment to the Work Programme  and the moratorium, we cannot help but feel 
that, over the years , some Members have paid but lip service to the chal lenges faced by many 
developing countries and LDCs to derive more benefits from e -commerce. In late 2021,  the six OECS 
WTO Members undertook an assessment of their digital trade and e -commerce readiness. Our 
assessment revealed the extent of our marginalis ation in the global digital economy. Our existing e -
commerce infrastructure lags behind where we need to be, and we also have severe regulatory gaps. 
We have repeatedly called on WTO Members to take our concerns more seriously . We take this 
opportunity to renew this call for greater dialogue and a fuller assessment of the kinds of support, 
trade policy and otherwise, that can be deployed to help us bridge the digital divide and pursue our 
digital industrialization and transformation.  
11.31.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  delivered the following statement:  
11.32.   This issue is long -standing and important. We would like to stress , once again , the 
importance of the moratorium  on customs duties on electronic transmissions . The significant benefit 
from extending the moratorium to MSMEs , to the growth of the global ICT sector and the digital 
economy is self-evident. In the face of the urgent need to recover from the pandemic, the WTO can 
continue to contribute to the digital transformation and industrialization. The mo st practical way is 
reaching a consensus to secure an extension of the moratorium , and that  at least to MC13 if a 
permanent moratorium is yet to be adopted.  On the other hand, past discussions under the 1998 
Work Program me have without a doubt allowed Memb ers to better understand the scope and 
implication s of the moratorium and helped bridge the digital divide. We support continued 
discussion s at the WTO in relevant bodies entrusted with the implementation of the Work 
Program me. The process should be a cata lyst to promote awareness among Members, but it should 
not prevent Members from benefiting from the low prices, inclusiveness and higher overall consumer 
welfare brought about by the moratorium.  We are aware of the limited progress in the discussion s 
on th e two draft Ministerial decisions contained in documents WT/MIN(21)/W/7 and 8 in the lat ter 
part of 2021. We urge Members to accelerate these discussions and to reach consensus , at least on 
the extension of moratorium , as soon as possible.   
11.33.   The representat ive of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
11.34.   Japan believes that the moratorium has provided certainty and predictability in digital trade 
both for consumers and businesses, including MSMEs. In addition, the moratorium has also secured 
better access to digital products. Particularly , under the current COVID -19 pandemic crisis, the 
moratorium is essential to ensure a sound and liberalized e -commerce environment and to promote 
safe – or less -risky – socio-economic activities , in order to contribute to econ omic recovery and 
growth in the future.  Not renewing  the moratorium at MC12 would not only be considered a serious 
step backward for the multilateral trading system , but it would  also give a negative impression to 
industr y and consumers that the WTO is not  performing the role expected of it in response to the 
pandemic.  Therefore, Japan strongly believes that we should maintain our current multilateral 
practice under  the moratorium at MC12 and make it permanent eventually. In addition, we are 
convinced that electronic transmission should include content. Due to the significance of content in 
today 's global economy, if the membership were to consider content as exclude d from  the scope of  
electronic transmission s, then the moratorium would be rendered economically meaningless.  
11.35.   The representative of Argentina  delivered the following statement:  
11.36.   We thank India and South Africa for their statements . Argentina supports the co ntinuation 
and reinvigoration of the 1998 Work Programme and understands that it is the best way to address 
e-commerce issues. Regarding the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, 
Argentina is in favour of continuing the practice of rene wing the moratorium, under the same 
conditions as it has periodically been renewed in the past.  
11.37.   The representative of  the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
11.38.   First, my delegation firmly believes that the current practice of not imposing cu stoms duties 
on electronic transmissions should be made permanent. Second , if we cannot agree on making the 
practice permanent, we should at least be able to extend the moratorium until the next Ministerial. 
Third, while we recognize that further work is n ecessary on various e -commerce issues, sending a 
message that we are going backward is not an option. The e xtension of the moratorium is critical to WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  guarantee a sound and stable e -commerce environment for all stakeholders, especially in these 
times of unce rtainty. Failing to extend the moratorium will seriously damage the credibility of the 
WTO, particularly at this time when the organisation n eeds to trigger multilateral action to accelerate 
the global post -pandemic recovery. Korea reiterates its support f or the proposal to extend the 
moratorium until MC13. We have been unable to reach an agreement that bridges both sides of the 
argument. My delegation emphasized the importance of flexibility in dealing with this issue by 
allowing the Ministerial Decision t o address both the moratorium and the Work Programme on 
Electronic C ommerce. We look forward to further engagement in order to reach a Ministerial Decision 
at MC12.  
11.39.   The representative of New Zealand  delivered the following statement:  
11.40.   New Zealand echoes th ose Members highlighting the importance of the maintenance of the 
moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmission.  The evolution of the global business and 
trade environment has been characterised by the increasing prominence of digital engagement.  The 
pandemic has accentuated this trend. Business es have rebuilt and restructured themselves to 
conduct effective business in a rapidly changing social context. These changes have enabled our 
economies as we have fought to stay afloat in incredibly challe nging economic times.  If we, as 
Members, cannot support this movement  and these efforts , the consequences will be significant. The 
WTO cannot be seen to step away from a rule which has been fundamental to economic stability 
during these most challenging of  times.  We believe that WTO Members should be considering how 
we can enable transparent, predictable, innovative and creative ways of doing business – not putting 
up new barriers.  New Zealand, like others, is happy to engage in meaningful discussions under the 
Work Programme  on Electronic Commerce. But that must progress in conjunction with the 
maintenance of the moratorium.  
11.41.   The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
11.42.   Canada continues to question the value of having an a dditional item in the Agenda of the 
General Council to discuss the moratorium , given interested Members can use existing mechanisms 
including the structured discussions. We remain convinced that an informal open -ended setting is 
more appropriate for techni cal and in -depth discussion s on the moratorium. As indicated before, 
Canada continues to see the value of continuing discussion s on issues of Members' interest related 
to digital trade and the digital divide  in the context where  the e -commerce moratorium i s also 
extended. Canada is looking forward to continuing its active participation and discussions related to 
digital trade.  
11.43.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
11.44.   On behalf of the Pacific Group, we  thank India and South Africa for their proposal. We support 
the proposal. E -commerce has grown significantly in recent years , and more particularly in response 
to the COVID -19 pandemic as businesses have adapt ed to lockdowns around the world. The Pacific 
Group sees e -commerce as providing potential opportunities to harness our trade and build ing 
resilience to external shocks. However, many developing countries, including our Group, were not 
able to take full advantage of online opportunities due to various  challenges. We consider the Work 
Programme on E lectronic C ommerce as an important platform to address the digital divide faced by 
small vulnerable economies like ours. In this connection, we support the reinvigoration of the Work 
Programme, we support a c all for you as Chair of the General Council to facilitate structured 
discussions under the Work Programme, and we support the extension of the Work Programme and 
moratorium at MC12 and beyond.  
11.45.   The representative of Hong Kong, China  delivered the following  statement:  
11.46.   First, I would like to join others in bidding farewell to the departing colleagues and wishing 
them all good health and success ahead. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the 
Permanent Representatives who have just arrived and look fo rward to working closely with them to 
further develop and  strengthen the multilateral trading system.  Hong Kong, China understands and 
notes that Members ' views on the scope, definition and impact of the moratorium remain divergent. 
However, we believe tha t allowing the moratorium to lapse after MC12 would not help clarify the 
above issues, nor would it narrow the gaps among Members. Rather, it would only present itself as WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  a backtrack on the WTO's work on e -commerce, especially at a critical time for post -pandemic 
economic recovery. Hong Kong, China believes that it is pragmatic to extend the moratorium until 
MC13 while Members continue to deliberate on the complicated issues under the Work Progra mme.  
11.47.   The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:   
11.48.   We urge all Members to extend the two -decade old moratorium on customs duties on 
electronic transmissions as a critical outcome of a rescheduled MC12. Indeed, we consider it 
incumbent  on any delegation that seeks to change the long -standing status quo on the moratorium 
to make the case as to why this would be beneficial. We consider the moratorium 's scope to be clear 
– it applies to all goods and services transmitted electronically, in cluding content. There is no 
legitimate basis for any other interpretation. We note India and South Africa 's communication on 
the moratorium last year (WT/GC/W/833 ), which draws heavily on work by UNCTAD. Many other 
studies by credible institutions have qu estioned the methodology in such studies, including the OECD 
study Australia and others have outlined in their June 2020 submission (WT/GC/W/799 /Rev.1). The 
OECD study and others have shown the revenue implications of lifting the moratorium are likely to 
be small and would come at the expense of more significant losses in consumer welfare and export 
competitiveness.  Allowing the moratorium to lapse would not support digital industrialisation. It 
would enable the erection of digital trade barriers, making it  harder for businesses to access the 
technological inputs they need to remain competitive, and limiting their access to global online 
markets. Having said all that, Australia remains very open to continuing discussion under the Work 
Program on all of these  issues, and we are open to suggestions on the best way of doing that.  As 
we have stated previously, allowing the moratorium to lapse would be a major blow to the WTO 's 
credibility at this time, when the digital economy is playing a crucial role in the glo bal economic 
recovery from COVID -19. Australia is open to engaging with all Members on decision language for 
the moratorium in the lead up to a rescheduled MC12.  
11.49.   The representative of Pakistan  delivered the following statement:  
11.50.   Pakistan wishes to thank In dia and South Africa for keeping this item on the Agenda. On the 
moratorium, it must only be renewed by consensus after duly reviewing the conditions and necessity 
of extending it. We note that a non -extension of the moratorium does not automatically mean the 
impos ition of  duties ; it only gives Members the right to do so, if and when they deem appropriate.  
11.51.   The representative of Georgia  delivered the following statement:  
11.52.   My delegation did not intend to make an intervention today, however we have to  join other 
delegations in voicing our strong support in solidarity to the government and people of Ukraine. We 
are extremely concerned about the developments taking place in Ukraine . Russia's military actions 
undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty , as well as the UN Charter and the 
fundamental principles of the international law . This will have severe consequences , not only for 
Ukraine , but also for the entire international community. We would like to reiterate our strong 
support to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized 
borders. As for the subject matter, Georgia supports the extension of the moratorium on customs 
duties on electronic transmissions.  
11.53.   The representative of  the United  Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
11.54.   Let me first of all say that I occasionally find this discussion a little bit surreal given the 
realities of the modern economy. I have seen some helpful elements this afternoon and I would 
particularly like to t hank those Members who have added their names to the call for the extension 
of the moratorium . I particularly welcome the intervention of Barbados on behalf of the CARICOM 
Group. I think , as many others have said, th at the  moratorium is a key tool in suppo rting the 
development of a global e -commerce  and the digital economy . It is a clear demonstration of the 
relevanc e and credibility of the WTO in this third decade of the 21st century. Back in November 
2021,  over 70 global business associations from develop ed and developing countries alike called on 
us all to ensure the continuation of this moratorium, it is all the more crucial as businesses across 
the world seek to build back better from the pandemic. We need to answer their call and demonstrate 
that the W TO continues to back business. Indeed, I cannot  imagine how I would possibly explain to 
British businesses anything other than the continuation of this moratorium. However, we  do 
recognize the importance of the Work Programme for developing Members and we have heard those WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  calls here this afternoon. The UK  remain s open to continuing those discussions and look s forward to 
Members' proposals in that respect.  
11.55.   The representative of  the United States  delivered the following statement:  
11.56.   The moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions has supported the rapid 
growth of digital trade over the past two decades . The United States continues to believe that WTO 
Members should be ready to agree to a permanent moratorium.  To that end, the United States  
remains firmly of the view that the continuation of the moratorium on  customs duties on  electronic 
transmissions is beneficial to both developed and developing countries . We are pleased to remain a 
co-sponsor of the draft Ministerial D ecision  contained in document  WT/GC/W/831.  
11.57.   Ending the moratorium would create uncertainty and concern for consumers and businesses, 
particularly MSMEs.  We remain concerned that imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions 
would have negative consequences f or developed and developing Members.  We also continue to 
strongly disagree with any assertion that a legitimate interpretation of the scope of the moratorium 
could exclude content. As we have said before, the moratorium clearly requires tariff -free treatme nt 
of digital content transmitted electronically. An alternate view would render the moratorium all but 
meaningless and would call into question what our Ministers thought they were agreeing to in 1998.  
We therefore support the proposal WT/GC/W/831 , which represents a reasonable compromise that 
extends both the moratorium and the Work Programme until MC13 . It will allow us to continue our 
discussions on issues of interest to all Members over the coming two years.  
11.58.   The representative of Mexico  delivered the f ollowing statement:  
11.59.   Mexico is in favour of the continuation and revitalization of the Work Programme. As we 
have said, at each and every General Council meeting, Mexico  believes that  e-commerce has 
contributed in a pivotal way to strengthening the digital economy for MSMEs . They have significant 
business opportunities to achieve through it. The certainty that this multilateral compromise provides 
is key to them and , for that reason , Mexico reiterates the importance of further pursuing this line of 
action . We feel that the moratorium  should be made  permanent.  
11.60.   The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
11.61.   Ecuador has always supported the moratorium. We feel that it addresses the interest of the 
international community and particularly that of developing countries. The moratorium was approved 
in an appropriate way to promote digitalisation in general. E -commerce offers very promising 
prospects for developing countries' MSMEs and new lines of development in terms of global trade.  
11.62.   The represent ative of Singapore  delivered the following statement:  
11.63.   Singapore 's position on this issue is well -known.  I will make three points. First, removing 
the moratorium would definitely send the wrong signal to both the international and business 
communities, espe cially in the midst of the COVID -19 pandemic, during which  e-commerce played 
an indispensable role in sustaining MSMEs. For example, PayPal reported that , during the COVID -19 
pandemic, the opportunities arising from the increased digital adoption for small  Indian export 
businesses are worth around US D 530 billion. Notably, nearly 60% of exported goods comprised 
handicrafts, garments, and leather products, which are produced by India 's local artisans. Hence, 
we would encourage more Members to co-sponsor the draft Ministerial Declaration (WT/GC/W/831) 
to support the moratorium 's extension. I urge all Members to work together in the spirit of 
pragmatism to maintain the only WTO multilateral agreement in the domain of digital economy.  
11.64.   Second, the argument that the moratorium will deprive developing Members of much needed 
revenue is misleading.  The estimated loss in revenue put forth in the paper is questionable. 
According to a recent study by the Saint Gallen Endowment titled "Is the WTO Moratorium  on 
customs duties on e -commerce depriving developing countries of much needed revenue? ", such 
revenue loss is insignificant and can be easily offset by domestic tax regimes such as sales tax or 
value -added tax. In the context of India, Indonesia, South Af rica and Sri Lanka, the revenue forgone 
is estimated at less than 0.2% of these Members ' total domestic tax revenues. In this context, it is 
important to examine carefully the balance of benefits between such potential revenue losses versus 
the benefits of  the moratorium, including greater growth opportunities for businesses. Singapore will WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  be happy to work with like -minded partners to circulate a summary note of this study to share some 
of its findings with Members.  
11.65.   Third, allowing the moratorium to lapse  can undo Members ' efforts to embrace digital 
transformation. It is noteworthy that just two weeks ago, during Indian Finance Minister Nirmala 
Sitharaman 's unveiling of the Union Budget for 2022, she announced that investments in the digital 
economy were one its key features, with spending on digitalisation initiatives such as Fintech and 
digital infrastructure expected to grow year -on-year by 12% to US$11 billion. According to the 
NASSCOM -Zinnov report, India produced approximately 42 unicorns in 2021, mak ing India second 
only to the US and China in terms of growing "unicorns ". Hence, removing the moratorium may 
impact the unrealised potential that India and many other developing Members have in leveraging 
e-commerce to grow the economy.  
11.66.   The representative of Thailand  delivered the following statement:  
11.67.   As a co -sponsor of the draft Ministerial Decision in document WT/GC/W/831 , we are in 
support of extending the moratorium until the next Ministerial Conference . I would like to thank 
India, Barbados , on behalf of the CARICOM  Group,  and Chad , on behalf of the LDC Group, for their 
very interesting interventions. I take note of the suggestions that they have made . In particular , 
India was talking about sharing experiences of other developing countries in how we ben efit from e -
commerce and  the development of the digital economy. Thailand would be very happy to shar e its 
experience with India. On the statements made by Barbados and Chad, I was very encouraged by 
relevant  examples of how the digital economy and digitis ation of a lot of products and services have 
taken place. Thailand would be happy to share  its experience and we support their call for the 
revitalisation of  the Work Programme on Electronic C ommerce in order to further reflect the interests 
of developing countries, LDCs  and MSMEs in smaller econom ies. We would be happy to go along 
with that, but our main position remains  to extend the moratorium until the next Ministerial 
Conference . 
11.68.   The representative of  the European Union  delivere d the following statement:  
11.69.   The European Union already spoke on this issue yesterday. We would like to briefly highlight 
the following  points. First, the European Union supports the extension of the moratorium until MC13 . 
Second, we are ready to engage in d iscussions on the Work Programme . Finally, we do not see the 
need to include this point as a standing item on the General Council 's Agenda , considering that there 
are enough fora in the WTO where we can discuss this important matter.  
11.70.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
12  PAPER TITLED "THE LEGAL STATUS OF 'JOINT STATEMENT INITIATIVES' AND THEIR 
NEGOTIATED OUTCOMES" BY INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND NAMIBIA 
(WT/GC/W/819/REV.1)  
12.1.   The Chair  noted that this item was included on the Agenda of the General Counc il by the 
delegations of India, South Africa and Namibia regarding the paper titled "The Legal Status of 'Joint 
Statement Initiatives' and their Negotiated Outcomes", contained in document 
WT/GC/W/819/Rev.1.  
 
12.2.   The representative of India delivered the foll owing statement:  
12.3.   The founding document of this institution arose partly from the recognition that fragmented 
trade rules create complexity and disparity, which stand contrary to a consistent and predictable 
system to facilitate global trade. One of the aims of the Marrakesh Agreement was to unravel the 
fragmented system of rules which was created by the Tokyo Round's plurilateral codes. That is why 
the Preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement clearly states that Members have "Resolved … to develop 
an integrat ed, more viable and durable multilateral trading system". This collective commitment to 
a common set of rules forms the bedrock of this institution. The crucial nature of this commitment 
has been reiterated through the years, including by the Appellate Bod y, in one of the earliest disputes 
under the WTO ( Brazil — Measures Affecting Desiccated Coconut ). Returning to a system of 
plurilateral agreements would be contrary to the letter and the spirit which binds Members to this 
institution. It would be a step i n the wrong direction.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  12.4.   Let me reiterate that this does not mean that we are opposed to free and open discussions 
and exchanges of viewpoints between Members. However, we do have concerns if the outcomes of 
such discussions are sought to be enshrined under  the WTO. If this is to be done, then the 
fundamental rules of the WTO, which have evolved through a painstaking process of consensus 
building, must be followed. Any attempt to introduce new rules resulting from JSI negotiations into 
the WTO without fulfil ling the requirements of Articles IX and X of the Marrakesh Agreement will 
create a precedent for any group of Members to bring any issue into the WTO without the required 
consensus. Such an approach will undermine the most important foundational principle  of the WTO 
that the agenda setting must be balanced and take into consideration the interests of all Members. 
It will also result in Members disregarding exiting multilateral mandates, arrived at through 
consensus in favour of issues without multilateral mandates. This could lead to the marginalization 
or exclusion of issues which are difficult but critical to the Membership at large, such as agriculture.  
12.5.   The representative of Bangladesh  delivered the following statement:  
12.6.   Bangladesh thanks India, Namibia a nd South Africa for bringing forward this important 
submission which demands deeper involvement of the Members. Bangladesh has not yet taken any 
position regarding the Joint Statement Initiatives (JSIs) , although my delegation views that the 
issues current ly being discussed as JSIs are extremely important for all Members of the WTO. 
Bangladesh commends those Members engaged in JSIs for their sincere efforts and dedication.  As 
this paper has also highlighted, we believe that any group of Members may discuss any issue 
informally at the WTO. However, we have a question regarding the JSIs . When the discussions are 
mature and turn into negotiations among those Members, how does the outcome fit into the WTO 's 
framework of multilaterally agreed rules? In other word s, the question is whether a JSI without  
multilateral consensus should operate within or outside the WTO framework . This is a practical 
question , and no clear answer is available to my delegation. Bangladesh  is also trying to understand 
whether the JSIs wi ll be accepted as amendments or revisions of the existing rules, or these are just 
a set of new "Plurilateral Agreements " or new legal instruments to be included in Annex 4 to the 
Marrakesh Agreement. These are serious legal issues which should be addresse d only from a legal 
standpoint. We look  forward to working with Members in this regard.  
12.7.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
12.8.   The preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement is clear that the aim is to create an integrated, 
more viable multilateral trading system among Members, including the establishment of a 
multilateral trading system that embodies the principles of multilateralism, non -discriminati on, 
decision -making by consensus and the development acquis. The multilateral underpinnings of the 
WTO include the following WTO provisions . According to Article 2.1 , "the WTO shall provide the 
common institutional framework for the conduct of trade relati ons among its Members" . According 
to Article 3.2 "the WTO shall provide a forum for negotiations among its Members concerning their 
multilateral trade relations". Moreover , concerning decision -making , this is  enshrined in Articles 3.2, 
9, 10 and 10.9 . Lastly, the procedures for amendment are articulated in Article 10. The Joint 
Statement Initiatives aim to develop and adopt new rules on existing and new trade related matters 
among a subgroup of WTO Members through modalities that confront the WTO's foundati onal 
commitments to multilateralism, consensus decision -making and the development acquis. We need 
to be aware that introducing variable geometry into the WTO negotiations would create an inherently 
discriminatory, multi -layered, multi -speed trade system a nd would reinforce the asymmetrical 
bargaining power. The introduction of JSI outcome s that are sought to be brough into the WTO has 
far-reaching implications in terms of institutional reform. The JSIs  will set a precedent that enables 
subgroups of Members to develop their own rules on their own bypassing mandated bodies and 
processes, launching negotiations on topics that are not agreed, including whether those issues can 
actually be brought into the W TO. We are concerned about the systemic implications of the JSI s, 
especially about the  fragment ation of  the multilateral trading system. The systemic concerns include 
the implications of JSIs in the multilateral agenda, the work of the Secretariat on manda ted issues 
and whether issues of interest to developing countries will remain in the peripheries. South  Africa 
values multilateralism and will continue to work with the Membership to strengthen the multilateral 
character of the WTO. These are uncomfortable  discussions and conversations that must be held if 
we are to have a multilateral trading system that works in the interest of all.  
12.9.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  12.10.   I commend  India and South Africa for submitting and presenti ng their paper . Nepal , as a 
true believer of a rules-based, predictable, transparent, inclusive and fair multilateral trading 
system, is always committed to the multilateral delivery of positive results for the benefit of the 
people at large within  this in stitution.  Nepal also respects the rights of Members to take needful 
initiatives in areas of common interest. However, we should also respect the essence and the 
provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO. For instance, its preamble  and the  
scope in Article II regarding WTO 's role as a common institutional framework for the conduct of 
trade relations among its Members, and  as a forum for negotiations among its Members concerning 
their multilateral trade relations . Other Article s such as  Articles III, IX and X , among others , cannot 
be undermined.  Our priority is to conclude  the mandated negotiations such as  that on  agriculture, 
fisheries  subsidies , special and differential treatment, among  others, and then  to obtain  new 
mandates as and when re quired in the emerging areas of multilateral trading system through  
Ministerial Decision . My delegation has found the paper submitted by India and South Africa very 
relevant . It raises some pertinent questions that we need to assess adequately. Nepal has been 
supporting this paper from the very beginning and wishes to encourage Members to take into account 
the concerns it raises. This is not a matter of the  size of economy nor of the  number of Members. It 
is a matter concerning the spirit and provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement.   
12.11.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  delivered the following statement:  
12.12.   It has been just over a year since th is document was first circulated . Since th en, the following 
events have  happened. First, the number of WTO Members joining the JSI s has been growing and a 
critical mass has been achieved. More than  three quarters of the WTO Membership is taking part in 
one or more JSIs. Participants in initiatives  relating to services domestic regulation and  e-commerce 
represent more than 90% of global services trade and global trade respectively. Second , the 
diversity of WTO Members joining the JSIs has been growing. Investment facilitation for 
development alone n ot only comprises more than two thirds of the WTO Membership , but also nearly 
60% of the WTO's LDC s and small vulnerable economies. Moreover, about one third of the 
substantive proposals on investment facilitation are from LDCs or small island developing s tates.  
Third, negotiations are intensifying . Progress is being made and outcomes are being harvested. The 
negotiations have successfully concluded in investment facilitation . Precise, effective and operational 
provisions on special and differential treatme nt are being included in the text. I believe that a ll these 
positive changes reflect Members' will ingness  to keep the WTO relevant regarding  the real world. 
Therefore, we should not be spending another year debating  on the legitimacy of the JSIs . Rather, 
we should be spending more time looking at how to integrate negotiated outcomes into the WTO 
rulebook. Korea will continue to help advance discussion s on JSI integration into the WTO legal 
architecture.  
12.13.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following s tatement:  
12.14.   Japan believes the JSIs contribut e to updating the WTO rulebook and to ensuring the 
relevance of the WTO in the world today. Without the JSIs, which work on the main agenda facing 
the world 's business es, the WTO risks becoming less relevant and even losing its raison d’être  as a 
cornerstone of the multilateral trading system.  
12.15.   The representative of the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
12.16.   The European Union already spoke on this issue in prev ious General Council meetings. We 
would highlight the following points today . First, this is an important matter that we need to continue 
to address. This issue should be considered as part of the discussions on WTO reform. Secondly this 
is not just a lega l issue  and Members are not doing anything "illegal " with the JSIs. The JSIs will not 
be integrated into the WTO by the back  door, but rather by the front door.  JSIs are a sign of vitality 
for the WTO. They are keeping the WTO relevant by addressing a numb er of issues which are of 
interest to many Members. Finally, it is not right to characterise JSIs as not addressing issues of 
interest to developing countries. It is enough to look at the list of developing Members participating 
in JSIs as evidence of thei r interest.  
12.17.   The representative of Namibia  delivered the following statement:  
12.18.   We take the floor to support the statement by India on behalf of the co -sponsors , as well as 
the statement by South Africa.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  12.19.   The representative of  the Philippines  delivered the f ollowing statement:  
12.20.   The Philippines wishes to  the proponents of document WT/GC/W/819/R ev.1 for their 
contribution. As we have expressed before, the Philippines is a willing and active participant in the 
joint statement initiatives. We believe that JSIs are  hugely positive and contribute to the multilateral 
trading system , even if their pursuit and eventual implementation is not universally shared by the 
Membership. This is the case with many bilateral FTAs and RTAs that  are within the WTO's structure 
and ar chitecture. For us and many other Members, the JSIs serve to deepen trade relations, to 
clarify rules that bind us more strongly  together  and, more importantly, they respond to the policy 
exigencies of modern -day global trade and provide differential struc tures and treatments that enable 
transitioning economies to join if and when they are best prepared for those initiatives. This is why, 
for example, the JSI on MSMEs has grown to 94 participants and the JSI on investment facilitation 
for development is now  supported by 112 Members; more than  two third s of the WTO Membership. 
Furthermore, the  Information Technology Agreement is almost universal in terms of participation, 
and it is a cornerstone of the WTO success story. The provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement are 
indeed clear and indisputable . I believe that no one questions Article X of the Marrakesh Agreement, 
and we understand plainly the institutional and legal hurdles identified in WT/GC/W/819/R ev.1. We 
do look forward to engaging with the proponents to find institutional and legal way s to allow the JSI 
outcomes to strive , benefit all WTO Members and be part of our system.  
12.21.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
12.22.   We would like to thank India, South Africa and Na mibia for raising this highly important issue 
and for providing a  very useful basis for the discussion on this matter. Indonesia remains of the view 
that concerns relating to the  institutional issue of joint initiative s should be addressed in a proper 
mann er, since the WTO Agreement has set rules on pursuing the negotiating agenda in the 
organisation . 
12.23.   The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
12.24.   I am not sure I agree with India that it  is absolutely necessary to include this item on th e 
Agenda at every meeting.  However,  it is at least a good opportunity to update Members on a 
significant development – namely, the conclusion of the Services Domestic Regulation JSI.  Some of 
the criticism that has been raised against JSIs are directly addr essed through that initiative. It is an 
open, transparent and inclusive initiative. There is nothing "backdoor" about it. This initiative is an 
improvement on GATS schedules, which are available on an MFN basis. That is completely consistent, 
in legal term s, with WTO rules. However, this is not only a question about legality. It is also a 
question about policy and practice. If we do not harness these initiatives here, they will go elsewhere. 
It is a good thing for the WTO for us to find ways to incorporate these initiatives into the WTO 
architecture.  
12.25.   The representative of Chile delivered the following statement:  
12.26.   Yesterday we were saying that , despite the efforts of the Director -General and others ahead 
of MC12 , we could not  have predicted what happened . Still, things remain uncertain . In the JSIs, 
however,  we continue to work . We are making major progress and we welcome new participants , 
including developing countries and LDC s. JSIs are a place for  dialogue and also  compleme nt the 
ambitious work in this organization. It is important for the Membership to continue working on 
agreements that have direct ly benefit developing countries . This is the case  for instance  in 
investment facilitation for development, which is trying to promote  sustainable and quality 
investment . We should ensure that we can tackle these topics as they are 21st century issues and 
they will contribute to an inclusive , resilien t and  sustainable development for the Members of this 
organization. We will contin ue to support all flexible and pragmatic approaches that seek to find 
solutions to outstanding problems with an aim of having a multilateral outcome and therefore to 
maintain an open nature  and ensure that they do not cause harm to those who do not wish to  
participate  in them . We thank India, South Africa and Namibia for their paper.  There are interesting 
elements , as we have said on previous occasions,  relating to  innovative decisions that may come 
out of these initiatives and which may impact the WTO arch itecture without impacting those who 
decide not to participate. Perhaps WTO reform will open new paths for us to look at the urgent issues 
such as those  set out in the submission discussed  under  Agenda  item 10 , which Chile co -sponsored.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  12.27.   The representative  of Chinese Taipei  delivered the following statement:  
12.28.   This Agenda item reminds us that the WTO needs new input and reform , 26 years after its 
creation. Members have definitely realized that it is very difficult to negotiate new trade rules. The 
only window of hope is for those Members willing to move on to engage in the joint statement 
initiatives (JSIs). This is a practical and legitimate approach for Members to update the WTO rulebook 
to reflect and to respond to new developments in global trade. JSIs have  made  genuine contributions 
to the multilateral system and to the world trade.  We would like to call on Members to exercise 
collective w isdom to develop a workable way forward to integrat e the results of all JSI  negotiations 
into the multilateral trading system . At the same time , we should not hurt non -participating 
Members . This will enable the WTO to remain relevant and also make it a li ving organization in the 
post-pandemic era  and beyond.  The recent conclusion of the negotiations on services domestic 
regulation is a positive and successful example illustrating  that a proper balance between updating 
WTO rules and not hurting non -particip ating Members can be struck. The outcomes resulting from 
the JSIs  not only complement existing WTO rules, they also  pave the way for possible future 
multilateral agreements, as Members can choose to join the JSIs when they are ready. JSIs do not 
affect non -participating Members ' rights and obligations . Actually , all Members can benefit from 
them.  
12.29.   The representative of Malaysia  delivered the following statement:  
12.30.   Let me begin by thanking India, South Africa and Namibia for the ir paper. Malaysia wishes 
to shar e its views as a participant of the Joint Statement Initiative s on e-commerce, Investment 
Facilitation for Development and MSMEs. As we have experienced through the JSI process es, we 
acknowledge that the approach taken in these JSIs is voluntary, open and inclusive in nature. This 
is to ensure that the "three -decade old " WTO rules remain relevant in addressing the current trade 
and investment issues and challenges. We view this process as vital to maintain WTO as the primary 
international organisation spearheading the work on global trade and investment.  Therefore, we call 
on Members to engage constructively on the way forward regarding  these initiatives, with the 
development dimension in place, while maintaining the existing rights and obligations of a ll 
Members.  
12.31.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
12.32.   Nigeria wishes to thank India and South Africa for their paper. We wish to refer to our 
statement made on this issue in previous meeting s of the General Council , and we reiterate  that we 
do not agree with the assertion that JSIs are likely to undermine the multilateral trading system  
(MTS) . Plurilateral arrangements have always been critical building blocks of the MTS , even during 
the GATT era.  In December 2021, we celebrated the successful conclusion of the negotiations under 
the JSI on Services Domestic Regulation. The outcome of this negotiation is not only commercially 
meaningful, but also such that it will  widen the circle of prosperity. As we speak, participants, 
including Ni geria, are currently undertaking their respective domestic procedural requirements for 
the submission of final schedules of specific commitments for certification, in accordance with the 
procedures laid out . The additional commitments will confer benefits to every Member, including 
non-participants , on an MFN basis. This , in our view , will further strengthen the MTS and should be 
commended.  We believe  that the views expressed in the paper regarding the likely implication s of 
introducing new JSI rules into t he WTO rulebook due to perceived inconsistencies are premature . 
The negotiations are ongoing in other JSIs , and Members are exploring ways to ensure the outcomes 
are WTO -consistent. We also wish to state that the legal opinion of a Member , or group of Memb ers, 
on the scope of application of specific provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement, or other WTO 
Agreements , may not always be accurate. For instance, although Article IX of the Marrakesh 
Agreement emphasize s decision making by consensus, it also envisage s other decision -making 
situations and provides  alternative options.  In conclusion, we believe th at the  JSIs are of critical 
importance if the WTO is to be responsive to the economic realities of the 21st century. We therefore 
call on Members to support these initiatives.   
12.33.   The representative of Costa Rica  delivered the following statement:  
12.34.   I heard that the co -sponsors of the paper maintain that they are yet to receive "legal 
responses" to the arguments that are developed in the document . This is surprising . As Chair of the 
Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, I have already addr essed these Members' concerns WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  relating  to the negotiations on services domestic regulation  at numerous occasions and in various 
fora, including on a bilateral basis. Other participating Members have done the same and explained 
in detail how the outcome on services domestic regulation is firmly consistent with WTO rules and 
procedures and how they intend to give it legal effect. For avoidance of doubt, let me now reiterate 
some points.  First, the outcome that we are talking about consists of a set of discipl ines which will 
bind only participating Members. It grants additional rights to other Members, but does not, and 
cannot, impose any additional obligations on them.  Second, in order to bind only the participants, 
the outcome will be incorporated into partic ipating Members' GATS schedules of specific 
commitments. This means that the outcome will apply to all Members on an MFN basis . It will hence 
benefit the services suppliers from all Members when they trade with the participating Members. 
And participating Members currently represent more than 90% of world services trade. The benefits 
of fully implementing this outcome can be considerable . The OECD forecasts USD 150 billion in 
annual trade cost savings. Of course, the benefits of trading with a Member that a pplies the 
disciplines on services domestic regulation can never be as large as following good regulatory 
practice by implementing the disciplines domestically. Nonetheless , there will be benefits for non -
participants.  Participants are  using the well -estab lished GATS mechanism to improv e their specific 
commitments, and within the precise boundaries that the drafters of the GATS had stipulated. The 
necessary consequence is that these improved commitments will apply on an MFN basis, and the 
benefits from thei r implementation will therefore accrue to all Members.  Third, in substance, the 
disciplines precisely cover those types of measures that are listed in the GATS , as areas for additional 
commitments, namely "qualifications, standards, and licensing matters" . This is important as some 
Members have suggested that the disciplines developed by the Initiative constitute some form of 
not further specified "rules", which do not fit under the architecture of services schedules. This is 
quite untrue. Rather, these dis ciplines constitute improvements regarding  participating Members' 
existing specific commitments.  
12.35.   Let me emphasize that there is clearly no risk of fragmentation of the multilateral trading 
system through the improvement of existing GATS commitments. This i s because GATS schedules 
are flexible to accommodate Members with higher and lower commitments . In fact , this is one of 
the architectural features of the GATS that developing countries had fought for during the Uruguay 
Round. We find ourselves in the absur d situation where three delegations hold the view that other 
Members are not entitled to legally bind themselves and grant better trading conditions to the service 
suppliers of the entire  Membership  – including these three Members. I do not know how these three 
Members can explain this to their business communities , especially when there is all this research 
out there that clearly shows the positive economic effects associated with this outcome. I certainly 
could not explain this to mine.  Finally, as you all know, on 2 December 2021 – despite the challenging 
circumstances around the postponement of MC12 – 67 Members adopted a Declaration to announce 
the successful conclusion of the negotiations under the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic 
Regulation. Th is is a real success, for businesses, for all WTO Members, and for the WTO. This the 
first outcome in the field of services reached at the WTO since the conclusion of the extended 
negotiations on telecom munications  and financial services in 1997. This is o f great significance. This 
is why businesses from around the world issued statements to welcome this WTO success which  
helps restore "the WTO credibility with the services business community" and "affirms the WTO 's 
ability to bring commercially meaningful negotiations to a conclusion" .  
12.36.   The representative of Norway  delivered the following statement:  
12.37.   I would like to commend the statements by colleagues, in particular the latest statement 
from Costa Rica , but also the very valuable points made by Malaysia and  Nigeria. Our views on this 
issue are well-recorded in the minutes of previous meetings of the General Council . I will not repeat 
them. F or the record, Norway considers  the Joint Statement Initiatives as a means to strengthen 
the rules -based multilateral t rading system . The broad participation in the JSIs suggest s that this 
view is supported by a large majority of Members . However,  as we have underlined on earl ier 
occasions, there is a need to have broader discussions on how various types of plurilateral 
agreements are harnessed in the WTO. This is a natural element in our WTO reform discussions . 
12.38.   The representative of Singapore  delivered the following statement:  
12.39.   Before I begin, allow me to refer to  Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure for Sessions of 
Ministeria l Conference and General Council (GC) Meetings (WT/L/161) . It states that 
"representatives should make every effort to avoid the repetition of a full debate at each meeting 
on any issue that has already been fully debated in the past and on which there app ears to have WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  been no change in Members ' positions already on record ". I believe that this is the case for this 
Agenda item. Regardless, let me once again reiterate Singapore 's firm position with three short 
points. First, we have a good track record of plu rilaterals being legitimately negotiated and integrated 
into the WTO. Modern plurilaterals include the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which India 
is also party to. In addition, as many have reiterated, consensus decision by the Ministerial 
Confere nce is not required to launch plurilateral negotiations under existing agreements. In fact, by 
shunning plurilaterals, Members are short -changing themselves. Second, the JSIs have received 
broad support from the outset . This support is still expanding. Mos t notably, 8 new Members have 
joined the JSI on Investment Facilitation for Development since the end of last year, bringing the 
number of participants to over 110 ; more than two -thirds of the WTO Membership. In fact, around 
90% of WTO Members participate in at least one of the JSIs. In other words, only a small minority 
are contesting the legitimacy of plurilaterals. Moreover, the JSIs remain open, transparent, and 
inclusive, encouraging the participation of all Members with the aim of attaining a multilat eral 
outcome. Third, the JSIs are important tools to enhance the WTO 's relevance in the 21st century. At 
a time when the WTO faces numerous challenges, the JSIs represent bright spots that have brought 
together a vast majority of Members who are determined  to work towards meaningful and relevant 
outcomes that address new and emerging issues. For example, against the backdrop of the 
postponement of MC12, the JSIs continue to make good progress, including the JSI on Services 
Domestic Regulations which was suc cessfully concluded in December last year. Before I end, I would 
also highlight an article entitled "India and Plurilateral Deals at the WTO" by Anwarul Hoda, an 
Honorary Professor at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations and 
former WTO DDG from 1995  to 1999. In his article, Hoda argues that India must review its 
antagonism towards plurilateral agreements , given that these agreements were stepping -stones for 
multilateral agreements; and India may be denying itself participation  in rulemaking on issues for 
the 21st century.  
12.40.   The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:   
12.41.   Particularly after the extremely full and helpful intervention by our Costa Rican colleague , 
let me just echo those who remind us that we have since we last met reached an agreement that 
could cut USD 150 billion of the cost of global services trade. This is about delivering trade rules fit 
to the third decade of the 21st century ; an agreement th at, while negotiated plurilaterally with great 
skill, will benefit all Members of this organization and their businesses. This is a  clear demonstration 
that this organization is not just back in business but also backing business and that we continue to 
make really important progress across a number of other joint initiatives. Initiatives that deal with 
MSMEs (99% of British businesses ), gender (50% of the global workforce ), the environment, each 
and every  one of us. These are the issues of the third decade  of the 21st century this organization 
should be dealing with and these JSIs provide us with the means of doing it. Rather than having a 
conversation about how we shut the door on these JSIs, we should be having a conversation on how 
we should welcome, sup port, harness and be inspired by the energy, dynamism and relevance these 
JSIs bring to our organization, to our businesses and to the people we are meant to serve.  
12.42.   The representative of  the United States  provided  the following statement:  
12.43.   We would like to  briefly reiterate the points we made last year. The United States believes 
that plurilateral negotiations at the WTO can be a useful means to advance issues of interest to 
Members and to keep the WTO relevant.  The various rigid positions expressed in this  paper would 
seem to foreclose Members ' ability to pursue creative and flexible approaches at the WTO to the 
challenges of today and tomorrow.  We do not view plurilateral negotiations and outcomes as 
undermining multilateral ones. In fact, plurilateral ini tiatives can foster new ideas and approaches 
and build momentum toward multilateral outcomes.  
12.44.   The representative of Paraguay  provided  the following statement:  
12.45.   Paraguay is a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system , and we recognize that 
multila teral platforms are ideal for the progressive dismantling of barriers to trade in goods and 
services. Nevertheless, reaching multilateral agreements may not be an easy task for the Members, 
given the current circumstances, and some of them may want to furt her discuss certain areas that 
they consider essential.  We understand that joint initiatives have opened a much needed and 
pragmatic path to overcoming obstacles in WTO negotiations. Plurilateral initiatives have created a 
space where the multilateral trad ing system can be reinforced and adapted to the challenges of the 
21st century. While we are a small developing country, Paraguay participates in a number of WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  initiatives, such as the initiatives on e -commerce, investment facilitation for development, MSMEs , 
services domestic regulation and trade and gender. We believe that they can provide tangible 
benefits to all Members, including those that are not participants.  The cross -cutting nature of the 
issues addressed in each initiative, and the participation of two thirds of the Members to date, reflect 
the existing interest in promoting discussions that may serve as a means to development and to 
keep the organization re levant. For this reason, Paraguay encourages all the Members to continue 
working on plurilateral initiatives in an open, inclusive and transparent manner, and on a voluntary 
basis. My delegation stands ready to discuss the best way of addressing the topic of the legal 
instruments that will be used to integrate joint initiatives into the WTO rules -based system.  
12.46.   The representative of India provided  the following statement:  
12.47.   India would like to thank Members for their engagement today under  this Agenda item. 
During today's discussions we heard , once again,  a number of delegations stating that they do not 
agree with the contents of the paper. However, we are yet to hear from anyone of these Members  
about  any legal basis for their disagreement. We would urge thes e Members to express their views 
more explicitly, logically and legally on various elements of our paper.  India would again like to 
reiterate that it does not question the right of Members to meet and discuss any issue. What we are 
saying is that when such  discussions turn into negotiations , and their outcomes are to be brought 
into the WTO rulebook, the fundamental rules of the WTO must be followed. All Members need to 
follow the foundational rules of the rules -based multilateral system, as enshrined in th e Marrakesh 
Agreement  
12.48.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
13  PROPOSED SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE TWELFTH WTO 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES – THE AFRICAN 
GROUP; ACP GROUP; ARGENTINA; AUSTRALIA; BEL IZE; BRAZIL; BURKINA  FASO; CABO 
VERDE; CANADA; CHILE; COLOMBIA; COSTA RICA; CÔTE  D'IVOIRE; DOMINICAN 
REPUBLIC; ECUADOR; EL SALVADOR; THE GAMBIA; GUATEMALA; HONDURAS; JAPAN; 
MEXICO; NEW ZEALAND; PANAMA; PARAGUAY; PERU; SENEGAL; SINGAPORE; 
TAJIKISTAN; TOGO; THE UNITED STATES; UKRAINE; URUGUAY AND VIET NAM 
(WT/GC/W/835/REV.1 -  G/SPS/GEN/1758/REV.10)  
13.1.   The Chair  noted that this item was included in the Agenda at the request of the United States, 
on behalf of co -sponsors of the "Proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitar y Declaration for the Twelfth 
WTO Ministerial Conference: Responding to Modern SPS Challenges ", contained in the document 
WT/GC/W/835/Rev.1 - G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.10. He recalled that, at the last meeting of the General 
Council in November 2021, ahead of the  postponed MC12, Canada had presented this proposal to 
the General Council, on behalf of the co -sponsors. Canada had also referred to the related 
discussions in the SPS Committee, reporting that discussions were ongoing. It was the Chair's 
understanding th at Ecuador, on behalf of the co -sponsors, would provide Members with an update 
at the present meeting.  
13.2.   The representative of Ecuador  delivered the following statement:  
13.3.   I have the honour of making these few comments to the General Council to report on the 
progress made with regard to the "Proposed S anitary and Phytosanitary Measures for the Twelfth  
WTO Ministerial Conference : Responding to Modern SPS Challenges ", contained in document 
G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.10. We would like to remind Members that we are referring to  revised version  
of the draft  which was circulated to Members on  22 November 2021 . We welcome the ACP and 
African Groups as co -proponents . There are now 89 Members supporting  this draft Ministerial 
Declaration . Since the last meeting of the General Council , before the postponement of the 
Ministerial Conference , the co -proponents have been interacting with other Members with a view to 
consolidat e support for this draft. The proponents feel that the Work Programme that is laid out in 
the document would strengthen multilateral understandings relating to the SPS Agreement. Without 
creating new obligations for Members, this proposal  lays the foundations for a dialogue about th e 
challenges and opportunities that should be taken into account. It does so by, on the  one hand , 
maintaining the necessary supervisory standards and , on the other hand , not slowing down trade, 
particularly by taking into account the technical requirements  for ensuring safe production as a result 
of certain climate -related issues.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  13.4.   This draft Ministerial D eclaration is not intended to be exhaustive; we keep the door open for 
new suggestions and explorations from Members relating to SPS measures. One of the aims of this 
draft declaration is to increase  the participation of developing countries , particularly LDCs , whose 
integration into international trade flows is key if we are to ensure sustainable and inclusive 
development . It particularly tak es into accoun t those Members  which are most affected by the 
devastating effects of climate change. Finally, I would like to highlight  that this draft Ministerial 
Declaration stresses that it is necessary to preserve and strengthen the link between the WTO and 
internati onal technical organizations that work on issues relating to sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures , such as Codex Alimentarius, the IOE and others. Furthering this line of work will protect 
the health of human beings, animals and plants without creating  obstacles to trade . This is key for 
millions of human beings as well as with helping the post -pandemic recovery. I would like to take 
this opportunity to invite those Members that have not yet co -sponsored the document to consider 
this draft Ministerial D eclaration as an opportunity to take our dialogue about these important issues 
further , as we know that they are interesting to every Member of this house.  
13.5.   The representative of  the European Union  delivered the following statement:  
13.6.   The European Union would like to thank the co -sponsors for having engaged with us on this 
draft Ministerial Declaration. As stated at previous meetings of the SPS Committee, we would have 
preferred to see more robust ref erences in the draft to current and future environmental and climate 
challenges  for trade in foods , to sustainable food systems without prejudice to the well -
acknowledged boundaries of the WTO SPS Agreement and to the remit of this Committee. While 
confirm ing our commitment to the relevant end -value and to the good functioning of the WTO SPS 
Agreement and Committee, the European Union also confirms its reservations regarding the draft 
Declaration for the reasons expressed today , as in previous occasions. We  also take this opportunity  
to draw the attention of the General Council to the document we have presented on the global 
transition towards sustainable food systems . We encourag e the SPS Committee, among others, to 
be a forum for discussion on this topic , with a view to support the process and reflect on setting up 
a work programme to address issues related to the transition to sustainable food systems in relation 
to international trade. We remain open to further engag e with the co-sponsors  of the proposal,  with 
a view to reflect these priorities in this draft Ministerial Declaration. As this will probably be the last 
item under which the EU will intervene,  I would like to congratulate you , Chair,  on behalf of the 
European Union , for the way that you have co nducted business in the General Council this past year, 
including during the intense months of October and November , in the run -up to the postponed MC12. 
This was very much appreciated.  
13.7.   The representative of Mauritius  delivered the following statement:  
13.8.   Mauritius thanks Ecuador for presenting the revised version of the draft Ministerial 
Declaration . We also associate ourselves with the statements to be made by both the African and 
the ACP Group s. We acknowledge the role of SPS Agreement in supporting trade in agricultural 
products and , consequently , its contribution to sustainable agricultural growth. However, c hallenges 
exist. These  may, and do , impact the exports from developing Members , especially African countries. 
Mauritius supports the  establishment of a work programme to look into such challenges and how to 
address them. We believe that the work programme must ensure  that SPS measures are not 
imposed to create additional barriers to trade and , of course , that the  capacity building and technical 
assistance needs of relevant  Members should be effectively addressed. Mauritius looks forward to 
discussions on the development of equivalence and mutual recognition agreements and on the 
harmonization of SPS measures , which  should eventually bec ome trade facilitation tools rather than 
barriers to trade.  
13.9.   The representative of Mongolia  delivered the following statement:  
13.10.   Mongolia thanks the proponents for presenting the draft Ministerial Declaration . We 
emphasize the importance of adopting the work programme to identify and address challenges in 
the implementation of the SPS Agreement and the impacts of emerging pressures on its application. 
Especially we support the enhancement of safe international tr ade in food, animals and plants 
through adaptation of SPS measures to regional  conditions, including pest-free areas  and areas of 
low prevalence of animal disease in general. Mongolia expresses its readiness to engage 
constructively with the cosponsors.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  13.11.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:  
13.12.   The ACP Group aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the co-sponsors of this 
draft Ministerial D eclaration by the Ambassador of Ecuador. The ACP Group is of the view that 
addressing the impact of non -tariff barriers is critical for enhancing developing countries' trade in 
agricultural products. It is important , therefore , that we deepen our understanding of the SPS 
Agreement and work together to ad dress issues arising from its implementation. We also see this 
declaration, if adopted, as allowing for greater collaboration in support of developing countries and 
LDCs in their efforts to enhance their integration into global trade. Technical assistance and capacity 
building is crucial in this regard, so too is WTO's collaboration with other international organizations 
engaging in certain SPS standards. We look forward to more Members joining the list of co -sponsors. 
In concluding, the ACP Group acknowled ges the work invested in preparing this text and encourages 
other Member s to constructively consider its adoption as part of the MC12 package.  
13.13.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement : 
13.14.   We support the statement s made by Jamaica and C ameroon on behalf of the ACP and the 
African Group s respectively.  We register our full support for the proposal.  
13.15.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
13.16.   The African Group subscribes to the statemen t made by Ecuador , on behalf of the co -
sponsors. We would like to pay tribute, Chair, to the efforts of the co -sponsors and other Members 
to bring together a number of different elements and build consensus on the basis of this document , 
which reflects the  current and future challenges that exist in relation to SPS. We are in favour  of the 
work programme, which does not seek to give rise to new obligations but rather to  enable us to rise 
to the challenges that we face. We know that we need to think about so lutions to the problems that 
we encounter in this area and that is what we are doing with this proposal. Technical barriers , as we 
know , are particularly damaging for developing countries , and especially for LDCs. That is why we 
call upon all the Members  that have reservations in this respect  to join our ranks , so that we can 
build an even broader consensus and strengthen the Committee's work. We have had reservations 
about Article 10 on Special and Differential Treatment. Some proposals have been made in that 
regard in the past by the African Group and we just wanted to mention that . We also wish to reaffirm 
our commitment to the adoption of this draft Ministerial D eclaration . We are completely open to 
further discussion s on this matter.  
13.17.   The representative of  the United States  delivered the following statement:  
13.18.   The United States would like to acknowledge the latest co -sponsors , the ACP and the Africa n 
Group s, which joined just prior to the postponement of MC12.  As indicated by Ecuador, we would 
like to highlight the importance of this initiative and our desire t o move forward toward consensus , 
so as to allow the SPS Committee to start implementing  the work program.  This forward -looking, 
collaborative proposal acknowledges the resiliency of the principles of the  SPS Agreement in 
protecting human, plant and animal life and health, while supporting trade in food and agricultural 
products.  It reaffirms the functioning of the SPS  Committee as a relevant body capable of addressing 
emerging challenges and opportunities in agricultural trade.  To remind Members, as we have  noted 
in the  SPS Committee over the past two years, this proposal calls for a series of discussions with no 
presupposed outcomes , in order to help Members collectively consider and address some of the 
pressing issues facing agricultural trade within the s cope of the  SPS Agreement.  
13.19.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  delivered the following statement:  
13.20.   My delegation would like to highlight the importance of finding common ground on the SPS 
draft Ministerial Declaration. This document indeed undersc ores the SPS Agreement 's significance , 
even 25 years after signing it , and the need to make its implementation more effective in the modern 
world. The SPS draft Ministerial D eclaration and the w ork programme are intended to shape 
Members'  understanding of the best ways to respond to the new SPS challenges , considering the 
global  increase of contagious animal diseases and pest spread caused by climate change. The 10th 
Revision of the SPS draft Ministerial Declaration is a profound and comprehensive document. In our 
view, it only requires a few amendments. In this regard, we call upon all WTO Members to accelerate WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  the work on the proposal . The longer we spend on finalising it, the more time we lose in order to 
address the new SPS challenges. The Russian Federation would like to express its readiness to work 
with the co-sponsors to find the appropriate wording that can lead all Members  to reach  consensus. 
As this is the last item under which we  take the floor , we would like to join other speakers in 
expressing my delegation's  and my personal highest appreciation for what you have accomplished  
as General Council Chair this past  year, and for your highest professionalism and efficiency.  
13.21.   The representative of Colombia provided  the following statement:  
13.22.   I would like to express our full support for this draft Ministerial D eclaration . We are now part 
of a large group  of Members that have done so , and we wish to thank Ecuador for its words on behalf 
of all the co-sponso rs. Without creating new obligations for Members, the declaration helps establish 
a dialogue on the challenges and opportunities that should be considered in order to maintain the 
system's legality and security. It also brings into the fore current challen ges related to expanding 
global populations, as well as increased movement of agricultural products; the increased pace of 
innovation in tools and technologies; changing climatic conditions and associated stresses on food 
production; the growing importance  of sustainable agricultural practices; and the pressures due to 
the spread of pests and diseases, among other challenges in terms of sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures that Members face.  The proposal serves to establish a dialogue on the challenges and 
opportunities that should be considered in order to maintain important control standards that do not 
become unnecessary barriers to trade.  As co-sponsors , we believe that the work programme set out 
in the document would strengthen multilateral agreements co vered by the Agreement on Sanitary 
and Phytosanitary Measures.  
13.23.   The representative of India provided  the following statement:  
13.24.   We thank the proponents of the draft Ministerial Declaration for their update. India is 
consulting with the proponents to better un derstand the objectives of the draft. In that regard, we 
had sent them a few questions and we are examining their responses. We will continue our 
engagement with the proponents on this matter.  
13.25.   The Chair thanked  the delegations for their discussions under this item. It was his 
understanding that discussions were continuing on this proposal.  
13.26.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
14  STRENGTHENING THE WTO TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSIVITY – 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN GROUP; CUBA AND INDIA (WT/GC/W/778/REV.4)  
14.1.   The Chair  noted that t he delegation of South Africa, on behalf of the co -sponsors, had 
requested the Secretariat to add this item on the Agenda, together with the revised proposal 
contained in  document  WT/GC/W/778/Rev.4.  
14.2.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
14.3.   Our joint submission with the African Group and Cuba on WTO reform (WT/GC/W/778/Rev.4) 
seeks  to bring a balance to the on -going discussions on WTO reform by reaffirming the importance 
of development to the work of this organization. The development aspect has assumed all the more 
significance in the context of the COVID -19 pandemic which has impo sed disproportionate burden 
on the developing and least -developed Members and our reform paper factors those new challenges. 
During October -November last year in the run -up to MC12, there was intense discussion on the issue 
of WTO reform. During those disc ussions, we had emphasized the need to define certain principles 
and parameters. Since WTO reform means different things to different Members, it was necessary 
that Members agree on a common minimum agenda for reform and also put in place a process which 
is transparent, inclusive and leads us towards an outcome. It is in this context that we, the co -
sponsors, felt the need to refresh the memory of Members on our WTO reform proposal. We wish to 
re-emphasize, which is also the broad essence of our paper, that  any dialogue on WTO reform 
agenda should be balanced and includes issues of importance to developing countries. The core 
values and basic principles of the multilateral trading system must be preserved and reforms should 
not be used as a pretext to erode the core principles of decision -making by consensus. We need to 
ensure respect to Articles II, III, IX and X of the Marrakesh Agreement and that JSIs do not change WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  the fundamental architecture of the WTO by legitimizing their illegal existence. Similarly, we wish to 
remind Members the importance of correcting the imbalances in the existing WTO agreements; 
preservation of the principles of non -discrimination and centrality of S&DT as a non -negotiable, 
treaty -embedded right for developing Members and LDCs, bo th in current and future agreements; 
and the need for policy space for developing Members. The paper notes the unfinished agenda of 
the WTO on development, addressing issues related to agriculture, especially, cotton, domestic 
support, SSM and a permanent solution for PSH. Our paper highlights the issue of food security, 
which came under severe stress during COVID -19. Though almost every country was impacted by 
the pandemic, there is no doubt that developing countries bore most of the brunt and continue to 
do so, be it on the vaccination front or on the recovery side. This pandemic exposed the fundamental 
weaknesses in our global trading system and it not only failed to contain but, in fact, exacerbated 
the social and economic fragilities that were already p resent before COVID -19. Therefore, the trade 
regime should not penalize developing countries for acting to support their citizens during such an 
extraordinarily difficult time. Therefore, our paper makes a strong case for a moratorium for 
developing countr ies and LDCs on trade and IP measures implemented in response to the pandemic. 
Such a moratorium shall have clearly defined scope and duration. Finally, our paper highlights the 
importance of impartiality and neutrality on part of Chairs of WTO bodies and the WTO Secretariat, 
including its staff, particularly the senior staff.  
14.4.   In the recent past we have noticed several instances wherein some senior management staff 
members have been conducting themselves in a manner which is totally inconsistent with the 
principles of neutrality and impartiality. As cited in our paper, as per the WTO Standards of Conduct, 
I quote, "staff members are required scrupulously to observe impartiality in the exercise of their 
duties. They retain their personal views and conviction s, but they do not enjoy the freedom of a 
private person to take sides or to express their opinions on controversial matters where this may 
reflect adversely on the WTO or on their status as international civil servants. Staff members must 
avoid any action  which would be impairing good relations with a government, criticizing its actions 
or undermining or discrediting its authority, reflect adversely on the WTO or the status of a WTO 
staff member as an international civil servant. When a staff member is cal led upon to communicate 
with the press, the staff member must understand that the information is being provided in the 
name of the WTO and avoid personal references and views. Using the press to further personal 
interests, air grievances or seek to influen ce policy decisions will be regarded as improper conduct. 
Public airing of personal grievances and destructive criticism of the WTO are inadmissible." We 
recognize that the WTO Secretariat serves as an indispensable pillar of the multilateral trading 
system and therefore Member States are duty -bound to protect the stature of the Secretariat by 
ensuring it always remains above the partisan positions of its Member States. Therefore, we are at 
pain to read out these codes of conduct to those erring senior mana gement staff at this GC Meeting. 
We could have avoided this if those senior management staff members were aware of these rules 
and received proper briefings during their induction. I hope, henceforth, the Members do not have 
to remind the senior management  staff on what is expected of them when it comes to upholding the 
impartiality and neutrality of the Secretariat. Similarly, another issue our paper has highlighted is 
the role and presence of other stakeholders, intergovernmental or International Organiza tions in the 
WTO, which must be limited to preserve the Member -driven nature of work and with due respect to 
their competences, mandates and limitations. These engagements should not change the original 
character or mandate of this organization. We look fo rward to discussing our reform proposals with 
other Members today and also in the run up to MC12.  
14.5.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
14.6.   We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered by the African Group and the state ment 
delivered by India. We fully support the notion that the WTO can only weather the challenges it is 
confronted with and can be strengthened through an inclusive and development -centred agenda and 
process. We must recognize that as enshrined  in the Marr akesh Agreement establishing the WTO , 
trade is not an end in itself but a means towards rais ing the  standards of living and ensur ing full 
employment. We need to ensure that the outcomes of the work in the WTO is geared towards 
achieving these ideals. Developing Members  have been calling for reforms since the conclusion of 
the Uruguay Round to correct the inequities and the imbalances in some multilateral trade rules and 
to create the necessary policy space to industrialize their economies  – while developing  economies 
continue to grapple with the consequences of imbalanced trade rules, the unfulfilled promises of the 
Doha Development Round and the ongoing debilitating effects of COVID -19 on their economies and 
societies. Some calls were made to  initiat e far-reaching reforms including new rules that will erode  
developmental policy space  and entrench existing inequities as well as  the foundational principles WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  that underpin the WTO. Addressing the imbalances inher ent in current trade rules and inequality 
should in clude defining the role that the WTO should play in ensuring a more even post -COVID -19 
global economic recovery. Therefore, WTO reform should be framed in a balanced  manner, including 
in relation to agenda setting to accommodate the interests of all.  Our call and support for WTO 
reforms is therefore premised on the following key principles: (i) the preservation and strengthening 
of the multilateral character of the WTO  – this includes upholding consensus  decision -making , 
equality, inclusivity  and transparen cy in the operations of the WTO ; (ii) safeguarding the Member -
driven nature of the WTO ; (iii)  preservation of policy tools to promote economic recovery and 
provision on policy flexibility to support structural transformation and industrialization ; (iv) 
reaffirming the S&DT principle  for developing  and LDC  Members within existing and future 
agreements ; (v) reasserting development within the WTO by delivering on long -standing 
development mandates ; (vi) restoring a functioning, independent and effective dis pute settlement 
mechanism to preserve and enforce the rights and obligations of all WTO Members in a fair manner  
– the dispute settlement system should be reformed to ensure it is accessible to all particularly 
developing and LDC Members a nd (vii) safeguar ding the multilateral character of the WTO.  
14.7.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
14.8.   The African Group echoes the introductory presentation made by India and have a few further 
comments which reflec ts those made by South Africa. The proposal by the African Group which is a 
co-sponsor aims to strengthen the role of the WTO and highlights those elements which should be 
guidin g our reform discussion so that we can ensure the WTO remains credible and its  effectiveness 
is reinforced. It is worth highlighting that the African Group as the majority of developing country 
Members have been calling for more than 20 years for structural reform both in the institution itself 
and in its function s. This revised doc ument brings further clarity and has some updates on both key 
topics of refor m, such as (i) restoring the A ppellate Body  and ensuring a dispute settlement 
mechanism which is functional, (ii) the role of the Chairs of the main and subsidiary bodies, includi ng 
the Secretariat  and (iii)  strengthening the role of international governmental organizations in the 
work and activities of the WTO. This document is the fullest version of any document that has been 
put forward under the title of WTO Reform and should b ecome a reference point and help structure 
our future discussions on WTO Reform. It is therefore interesting for Members to pursue this 
following their interests on the basis of the relevant elements in this document that should be the 
terms of reference f or our discussions. We can support our discussions in th is respect. Furthermore, 
in the absence of a structured discussion for WTO Reform, it  is unlikely that the reform that we all 
hope for and have been calling for will be inclusive, transparent, relevan t and take up the legitimate 
aspirations of the African Group developing countries and other Members  – that is , having a focused 
consolidated, concise document on reform. We think this is important and we have tried to do this. 
With regard to the DSB, the African Group has brought up the issue on the dispute settlement 
mechanism and the A ppellate  Body where there has been no complete response as well as the 
elements relating to the difficulty to use the system for developing countries and a number of other 
key characteristics. There is also agriculture  as well as s trengthening the main Committees , their 
Subsidiary Bodies and the Secretariat . Ways forward or some relevant ideas on reform in a ll of th ese 
areas are set out in our  document. We cannot conclude without underlining the will of the Director -
General to bring transformation to the Secretariat and the African Group would like to take an active 
role in that . We also reiterate the willingness of the African Group and other co -sponsors to work 
alongside all Members to further enrich this document and to bring to reality the necessary reform 
for the WTO  in a relevant, transparent and effective way.  
14.9.   The representative of  the United States  delivered the following statement:  
14.10.   In November 2017, as MC11 approached, the United States sensed that the conversation on 
development at the WTO was broken. In our view, the root cause of that break was a foundational 
disagreement about the relationship between WTO rules and development.  At MC11, we suggested 
that Members consider starting a new conversation focused on this precise issue – the relationship 
between WT O rules and development. It would need to be in a different forum, outside of the CT D 
SS and without the recitation of talking points.  More than four years later, we remain stuck in the 
very same spot. The proponents of this paper believe that certain WTO rules undermine their hopes 
for sustainable development. Others disagree and see these rules as building blocks for such 
development.  This disagreement is not confined to General Council meetings or to the CTD  SS. 
Rather, it is having consequences across t he organization, influencing many , if not most , 
conversations among Members.  It may well be a reason why some conversations are  not happening WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  at all.  As was the case in late 2017, we would like to see a constructive conversation emerge among 
Members on thi s issue. In fact, my Minister has stressed the importance of listening to each other , 
and of stepping away from old paradigms.  We are open to pragmatic ideas on how to do just that.  
We do  not believe the CTD  SS would be the right forum ; nor is the General  Council.  As Members 
know, we  have been in favo ur of an inclusive, open conversation on WTO Reform, where any Member 
can raise its concerns with the WTO. Perhaps this issue can be an element of that conversation.  
14.11.   The representative of the Cuba delivered the following statement:  
14.12.   At the outset I must extend farewell to  Permanent Representatives leaving and welcome  
new ones. We also acknowledge the work done by Mr. Victor do Prado who has always had a door 
open for us . My delegation shares the views made by India, South Africa and Cameroon on behalf 
of the African Group. The proposal and the fourth revision look to bring forward and defend the 
reform of the WTO that may come about at the WTO and that it does not necess arily mean accepting 
the inequalities that exist or further extending the imbalances particularly given the impact that we 
have felt from the COVID -19 pandemic which for many developing and least -developing country 
Members means  a rollback of many years of  progress. The reform must be based on inclusivity and 
development. Inclusivity means as a minimum preserving the consensus -based decision -making at 
the WTO. The proposal sets out that an eventual reform would look at addressing the rules of the 
WTO agains t unilateral measures in trade that are incompatible with the WTO's current rules. My 
delegation will continue to pay close attention to this issue of interest to many Members. I conclude 
by congratulating Ambassador Dacio Castillo for his efforts to move the WTO's work forward.  
14.13.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:  
14.14.   We thank the co -sponsors for the consistency in bringing these critical issues to the fora at  
the WTO. We thank the delegations of India and So uth Africa for their introductory remarks. The 
submission sheds light on a myriad of issues confronting developing  and LDC Members  and that 
would have to be a part of our discussions on the future of S&DT and WTO Reform. We already have 
a number of papers on the table gi ving various perspectives on WTO Reform and S&DT and more is 
being prepared. In fact, the ACP Group recently had an enriching reflection on the issue of WTO 
Reform and the ideas flowing therefrom are being utili zed in preparing our submissio n. Reform 
should be guided by the unique circumstances of Members of the WTO and in that connection the 
agenda should sufficiently accommodate the issues of interest to developing and LDC Members . 
Previous Ministerial Decisions should help us to frame the reform discussions. Development, 
industrial transformation and increased participation in global trade should be at the heart of our 
reform agenda. The agenda setting on the process should be inclusive and transparent . Reform 
should not be handled in exclu sive groups that lacks representati on. We should ensure that the 
reform process does not lead to a fragmentation of the system or negatively affect the policy space 
or interests of developing and LDC Members  in the WTO. Hence, we should make multilateralis m 
the focus of our work . We have to be reminded of the importance of a speedy and orderly recovery 
from the COVID -19 pandemic and to ensure that trade rules assist in building our resilience to future, 
similar cris es. Thus, the reform will have to be broad  based . We need to have a structure and a 
scope for WTO Reform with an appropriate sequencing of issues . Trying to identify those issues 
which can be resolved by binding rulemaking versus those that could be addressed otherwise could 
be a part of our appro ach to discussing reform. Undertaking reform also requires an accountable 
WTO. In this regard , we should start looking at periodically reviewing the implementation of 
agreements negotiated in the WTO to ensure that they are having their intended impact. So far, we 
are focusing mainly on review of Members' trade policies which does not accomplish th is objective. 
Reform should also involve the Secretariat's operations  – for example, getting regional balance and 
equity in the Secretariat's leadership and ensuring that the Secretariat is fit for purpose. We need 
to resolve the impasse within the Appella te Body given the importance of predictability. The WTO 
can only be sustainable if the needs of all its Members are taking into account. We have to pursue 
a respect of the WTO rules, the need to integrate developing and LDC  Members  into global trade, 
inclusivity in rulemaking, transparency and importantly a willingness of Members to be flexible in 
the midst of the various and new circumstances. The ACP Group stands ready to play a constructive 
and productive role in the discussions on reform and we urge oth er Members to do so.  
14.15.   The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
14.16.   China would like to thank the co -sponsors for their renewed submission.  The WTO is facing 
unprecedented challenges exacerbated by the prolonged C OVID -19 pandemic. Against this WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  backdrop, we reiterate our support for the necessary reform of the WTO in order to tackle the current 
crisis, respond to the needs of our times, strengthen the efficacy and authority of the WTO and 
defend the development rights, interests and space of  developing Members.  The 164 Members of 
the WTO are of diverse historical and cultural backgrounds, having their own unique economic 
models and development paths.  WTO Reform could only succeed with mutual trust and full respect 
of those differences.  WTO Reform also requires changes, innovation and patience.  "Rome was  not 
built in a day. " We could never expect drastic changes of the WTO in a short term or through just 
several rounds of negotiations. Rather, we should explore the way ahead with pragmatism.  "Big 
change starts from little. " China is looking forward to working with all Members to start from  "the 
little step s" and realize  "the giant leap " for the WTO.  
14.17.   The representative of Canada  delivered the following statement:  
14.18.   Canada thanks the delegations for  this communication. We are continuing our discussions of 
reform in the Ottawa Group and look forward to engaging with Members at all levels of development 
on this issue. On a separate note, I wish to state to the D irector -General  and the DDGs that Canada 
continues to value the Secretariat and its analytical work. Finally, on a separate note, I wish to thank 
the Chair , Ambassador Dacio Castillo,  for completing an excellent term as General Council Chair . 
Thank you for your leadership . It was a time full of c hallenges particularly in the lead up to the 
postponed MC12 . You did all of this with style, sartorial elegance while keeping your sense of humour 
and the trust of the Membership.  
14.19.   The representative of Australia  delivered the following statement:  
14.20.   Three quick points from us . First, we thank the co -sponsors for this revised proposal . The 
objective of integrating developing and LDC Members  more effectively into the global trading system 
is one we should all share and should all invest in in  our discussions on the future of S&DT as part 
of the WTO Reform dialogue  where I hope we will be genuinely engaging with one another. Second, 
we reiterate comments just made by Canada . Our delegation is certainly one that believes the 
Secretariat's policy  skills, knowledge  and analytical capabilities need to be utilized to the full . The 
Secretariat has our full support in that effort. It is our view that the Secretariat ought to be , at least , 
able to use those talents more, not less. So, we would indicate and reiterate our support for the 
Secretariat's fine work in support of our organization's objectives.  Finally, Chair, I have already 
praised your qualities and performance once , but I am in unity with Norway and I look  forward to 
any secrets you can share  on that ground.  
14.21.   The representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  delivered the following statement:  
14.22.   Let me take this opportunity to thank you , Ambassador Dacio Castillo,  for your tenure as 
Chair of this Council . We particularly welcome your fairness , impartiality and transparency in guiding 
our work. We are in full alignment with the statements of the ACP on this agenda item. We are also 
grateful to the co -sponsors for their submission and are supportive of the overall trust of the 
communication . We support the objective or the intent to strengthen the WTO to promote 
development and inclusivity and we are prepared to play a very constructive role in this regard.  
14.23.   The representative of  the United Kingdom  delivered the following statement:  
14.24.   I would j ust echo my Australian and Canadian colleagues . In my ten brief months here , I 
have been remarkably impressed by the expertise, the professionalism and the insight of the staff, 
the Secretariat  – from the interpreters to the Director -General and everything in between, including 
the excellent cafeteria staff . I would like to hear and see more of them, not less, and I hope they 
are not silenced by the views of some Members. And I say that with complete disregard to the next 
agenda item.  
14.25.   The Director -General  delivered the following statement:  
14.26.   I did not intent to take the floor but I feel I have to because I was quite astonished by the 
statement of India about the Secretariat staff . If there is something done wrong by the Secretariat 
staff I would have appreci ated if you could approach me and tell me . If I do not sort it out then you 
can bring it. Members have every right to make such statements but I would like to plead with 
Members that in a case where there is something that has been done wrong by any Secret ariat staff WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  that they bring it to my attention so that we can solve it. When  I took office, I found that Secretariat 
staff were being berated in public rightly or wrongly . But this makes them just not want to do 
anything and not to innovate . Those are not the kind of staff we want in this organization . So, I am 
not trying to say that nobody does wrong . Even I can do wrong . But I would truly appreciate if it 
was brought to my attention because this is public . For any Secretariat staff , this is very frighteni ng. 
So, I just want to plead with our Indian colleague that next time kindly let me know and I will try to 
solve it and then if I do not solve it perhaps you can make it public.  
14.27.   The Chair thanked everyone for the useful discussion on the matter and unders tood that 
discussions would be continuing on this proposal.  
14.28.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
15  APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS TO WTO BODIES  
15.1.   The Chair  noted that, in accordance with the Guidelines for Appointment of Officers to WTO 
Bodies approved b y the General Council in 2002 (WT/L/510), and the related practical steps to 
improve their implementation (JOB/GC/22), he, together with the Chair of the Dispute Settlement 
Body, Ambassador Didier Chambovey (Switzerland), had conducted consultations on a s late of 
names for the appointment of Chairpersons to WTO regular bodies listed in Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5 in 
the Annex to the Guidelines. This year, responding to the call by Members to begin the process early, 
allow sufficient time for consultations and ensu re transparency at all stages, they had begun the 
process in early December 2021, and consultations had continued over a period of approximately 
five weeks. In line with the practical steps mentioned earlier, they had consulted regularly with the 
coordinat ors of the four broad regional groups, namely: (i) Africa, (ii) Asia and the Pacific; (iii) 
developed countries, and (iv) Latin America and the Caribbean – and had remained available 
throughout for any individual delegation wishing to consult with them. In  particular, they had met 
with group coordinators five times since on 9 and 15 December, and 13, 24 and 25 January. 
Ambassador Chambovey and he took the opportunity to put on record their sincere appreciation to 
all group coordinators for their valuable co operation and tireless efforts.  
15.2.   To ensure transparency in the process, he had sent two communications – on 17 December 
and on 25 January, updating Members on the status of the consultations at the time. He had also 
reported on the process at the Special Se ssion of the General Council Meeting on 15 December and 
at the Informal Meeting of the General Council on 25 January. At that meeting, he had provided an 
account of the consultations and had informed Members that there appeared to be a common 
understanding  among group coordinators, based on their consultations with their respective 
constituencies, on a draft, stabilized slate. He had read out the draft slate to all Members, for 
consideration and, immediately following that meeting, he had sent a communicati on to all 
delegations, containing that draft slate, for Members' consideration. On 16 February, he had sent a 
third communication informing Members that he had not received any comments, questions or 
objections since he had presented the draft slate on 25 January, indicating that there appeared to 
be consensus on the draft slate of names.  
15.3.   Therefore, on the basis of the process that he had just described, he read out the slate of 
names for the WTO regular bodies in Groups 1, 2, 4 and 5 resulting from the con sultations.  
General Council  
 
 H.E. Mr. Didier Chambovey ( Switzerland ) 
 
Dispute Settlement Body  
 
 H.E. Dr. Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme 
(Botswana ) 
 
Trade Policy Review Body  
 H.E. Mr. Angel Villalobos ( Mexico ) 
 
Council for Trade in Goods  
 H.E. Mr. Etienne Oudot De Dainville ( France ) 
 
Council for Trade in Services  
 H.E. Kemvichet Long ( Cambodia ) WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Council for TRIPS  
 H.E. Dr. Lansana Gberie ( Sierra  Leone ) 
Committee on Trade and Development  
 H.E. Mrs. Usha Dwarka -Canabady ( Mauritius ) 
Committee on Balance -of-Payments 
Restrictions  
 H.E. Mr. Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel  
(Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ) 
 
Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration  
 H.E. Dr. Bettina Waldmann ( Germany ) 
Committee on Trade and Environment  
 H.E. Mr. Simon Manley ( United Kingdom ) 
 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
 H.E. Mr. Taeho Lee ( Republic of Korea ) 
 
Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance  
 H.E. Mr. Donatas Tamulaitis  
(Lithuania ) 
 
Working Group on Trade and Transfer of 
Technology  
 H.E. Mr. Luis Chuquihuara Chil ( Peru) 
 
 
15.4.   Appointments for these bodies w ould be for one year, and they w ould be made formally by 
the WTO bodies concerned at their subsequent meetings this year.  He therefore invite d the General 
Council to take note of his statement and of the consensus on the slate of names for the appointment 
of officers in the WTO bodies that he had mentioned.  
15.5.   The General Council so agreed . 
15.6.   The Chair  congratulated all the colleagues on their selection and wished them well in the year 
ahead. On the consultations undertaken by the outgoing Chairs of the Goods Council and the 
Services Council to select Chairs for the bodies established under their respec tive Councils, he 
recalled that in December, Ambassador Chambovey and he had sent a communication to both the 
CTG and the CTS Chairs proposing they initiate consultations on the processes of the appointment 
of officers for the subsidiary bodies in Tier 2 i n January so as to provide sufficient time for 
consultations. They had also noted in the communication that, as requested by Members, the Tier 1 
and Tier 2 appointment processes should continue to proceed on separate tracks and that, the slate 
of names of Chairs for Tier 2 should therefore only be finalized after formal agreement on the slate 
for Tier 1. Ambassador Chambovey and he had met with the CTG and the CTS Chairs on 26 January 
and they had informed them that relevant communications launching the con sultations would be 
sent shortly.  
15.7.   Ambassador Ángel Villalobos (Mexico), Chair of the Services Council , provided the following 
report:  
15.8.   Following the consultations that you, Chair, held in 2021 on the overall process on 
appointment of officers to WTO Bodies,  this year I began the consultation process on the 
appointment of Chairpersons for the Subsidiary Bodies of the Council for Trade in Services for 2022 
earlier than usual, on 26  January, and well before this first General Council meeting of the year. I 
started off by inviting Group Coordinators, and any delegation wishing to make proposals on this 
matter, to meet with me on 2 February. The objective of my consultations is to arrive at a proposed 
slate of names of Chairpersons that enjoys the wide support of the Membership. On the basis of that 
slate, elections will take place in each of the CTS subsidiary bodies. In order to ensure the balance 
of the slate, as mentioned in the Guidelines, I have been coordinating with the Chair of the Goods 
Council, and we ha ve also been holding joint consultations. Let me inform delegations  that we have 
advanced  the process  and we have a tentative slate . WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  15.9.   On behalf of Mexico , I would like to thank Ambassador Castillo for his excellent work over  the 
course of the last two years . A number of people have mentioned his hair, his clothes and youth . 
What I would like to mention is the extent to which I recognize the size and quality of the watches 
that he tends to wear at these meetings. I would also like to mention how surprised I w as of what 
was said here about the Secretariat . Over the years I have had a great deal of contact with the 
Secretariat in various capacities and I have always encountered an outstanding level of 
professionalism . The Secretariat is widely respected . I feel it is one of the most respected 
Secretariat s in all international organizations.  
15.10.   Ambassador Lundeg Purevsuren (Mongolia), Chair of the Goods Council , provided the 
following report:  
15.11.   In accordance with the Guidelines for the Appointment of Officers to WTO  Bodies adopted 
by the General Council in December  2002 in document  WT/L/510, and following the consultations 
you, Chair,  held in 2021 on the overall process on the appointment of officers to WTO  bodies, on 
26 January, I launched my consultations on the proc ess of appointment of officers for the Subsidiary 
Bodies of the Council for Trade in Goods.  The objective of my consultations is to secure a proposed 
slate of names of Chairpersons for 2022 that enjoys the wide support of the Membership, so that, 
on that b asis, elections can take place in each CTG Subsidiary Body. The four  group coordinators 
already conducted internal consultations with their respective constituencies, and I have met three 
times with them with a view to trying to settle on a slate of names that is agreeable to all. In this 
regard , I would like to thank all the coordinators for their support and cooperation especially for 
their hard work. I would like to inform delegations  that, together with th e CTS Chair, and the regional 
coordinators we he ld the last consultations today during lunch break. So, after today's consultations , 
we are very close to concluding a preliminary slate of names for the Chairs of Subsidiary Bodies. 
Thereafter, I am going to reach out to Members not represented by any of the four regional groups 
to consult them. S o, I hope I will be able to circulate the slate of names very soon to all Members. 
Moreover, a number of constructive ideas on improving the appointment of the WTO Officials were 
raised during my consultations with the regional coordinators. I do believe that those ideas may be 
useful for the consultations on the improvement of the Guidelines on Appointment of Officers to WTO 
Bodies in the future.  I very much count on the cooperation of the entire Membership in ensuring 
that this process is conducted in a smooth and seamless manner.  
15.12.   On behalf of Mongolia , I would like to thank Ambassador Castillo  for his tenure as GC Chair . 
I have  enjoyed work ing with Ambassador Castillo  in my capacity a s Coordinator of the AGDC and a s 
CTG Chair . I extend my thanks to you, Chair, for your leadership and long service. You have  shown 
the depth of your  experience  and professionalism and have ensured  transparency and inclusiveness 
in this organization at a ve ry crucial time . Thank you once again for your leadership.  
15.13.   The Chair said that he count ed on Members' full support to help the CTG and the CTS Chairs 
complete the processes of appointment of officers for the subsidiary bodies – a housekeeping matter 
– expeditiously. Members should  avoid the difficulties experienced in recent years. He called on them 
to ensure that the 2022 appointment processes proceed in a smooth, positive and constructive 
manner . He recall ed that consultations on the overall appointment p rocess remain ed work in 
progress. He had  held consultations on this matter in 2021 , and refer red Members to his reports 
issued in JOB/GC/277 and JOB/GC/285. He noted that he  had briefed Ambassador Chambovey, his 
successor , who  would rely on Members'  feedback on how to continue the conversation on this matter.  
15.14.   The representative of the Botswana  delivered the following statement:  
15.15.   I would like to express my gratitude to the WTO Members on my behalf  and on behalf of the 
delegation of  Botswana for  the confidence placed in me to take up the role of Chair of the WTO 
Dispute Settlement Body . I was honoured to Chair the WTO Trade Policy Review Body last year . I 
guess I still am since I have one more meeting  left. W e are ready, as Botswana, to continue working 
with the Membership and the Secretariat to facilitate the WTO to  deliver on other aspects of its 
mandate. In this regard, I have found working with the Secretariat  – the Director -General  and her 
staff – to be excellent  and professional . I know that  this will continue as  I assume  the role of Chair 
of the DSB. I would like on that note to thank the  outgoing  Chair of the DSB, Ambassador Didier 
Chambovey (Switzerland ) for the excellent work he did last year steering the work of the DSB. I 
congratulate a ll the appointed Chairs of the different WTO Bodies for 2022 and wish them well in 
their new roles. Finally, I guess I would be failing in my duty if I did not pay tribute to y ou, Chair , 
on your excellent stewardship of the General Council during a challen ging period and also for WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  breaking all the gender stereotypes. In my long career in Justice where lawyers tend to be very 
modest , and I do not know if you would agree with this, men do not usually compl iment each other . 
I must say that I am very impressed b y our male colleagues here who have given you all these 
wonderful compliments which you totally deserve . I do believe that you set the bar high , and I think 
future Chairs of not only the General Council but also other Committees have taken note . You have 
a long queue of people waiting for those tips about how you manage to stay looking so well.  
15.16.   The representative of Cameroon , on behalf of the African Group , delivered the following 
statement:  
15.17.   On behalf of the African Group, we congratulate the various Chairs for their appointment 
and assure them of the support of the African Group and that of the Cameroon delegation. Chair, I 
would like to say that over the course of the last year , your profess ionalism, impartiality, tact and 
diplomacy on a number of occasions have proven to be  very precious assets for bringing serenity, 
trust and the necessary dynamic to our discussions so that we could reach consensus. You have 
been praised in p revious stateme nts already and I do want to touch on  your dress  sense because in 
many cases form indicates substance . You discharged your mandate  well and  fully lived up to your 
role. You showed us the way forward that ensur ed the nobility and credibility of this organiz ation 
and paved the way  for MC12. We likewise  congratulate the new Chair of the General Council, 
Ambassador Didier Chambovey. We have no doubt whatsoever that his experience and wisdom will 
lead us forward and be valuable assets as we move towards MC12. Am bassado r Chambovey, r est 
assured of our full support as the African Group for your work. I can only hope that you will be able 
to follow in foot steps of our current Chair . 
15.18.   The representative of Kazakhstan  delivered the following statement:  
15.19.   I join previous speakers in welcom ing as the new Chair of the General Council, Ambassador 
Didier Chambovey, Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador Molokomme and Trade Policy Review 
Body, Ambassador Villalobos  as well as the rest of the Chairs.  We look forward to working with  you 
closely in preparation for MC12 and beyond . I likewise  express our deep gratitude to the outgoing 
Chair, Ambassador Dacio Castillo, for his hard work, professionalism and personal friendship 
extended during the challenging year  – due to COVID -19 restr ictions as well as the postponement 
of MC12. Dear Dacio, I would like to thank you for being always available  and accessible and for 
extending your guidance and help  in addressing some sensitive issues in a very delicate and 
professional manner. I would li ke to thank you . We look forward to continuing our close cooperation 
with you in your various other capacities in the future.  
15.20.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP , delivered the following statement:  
15.21.   The ACP Group wishes to congratulate all colleagues who have been appointed Chairs of the 
various WTO Bodies and we look forward to working with all of you throughout the year. Specifically, 
the ACP Group extends its congratulations to Ambassador Didier Ch ambovey on his assumption as 
Chair of the General Council. We believe that his leadership will build on the successes of his 
predecessors . We are familiar with his work, his professionalism and believe that he is more than 
able to make a tangible impact on  the WTO. Ambassador Chambovey, we are confident that you will 
be managing all work professionally and with the quorum over the next year . Please be assured that 
you will have the support of the ACP Group during your tenure. To Ambassador Castillo, the ACP  
Group takes this opportunity to commend you for your hard work, dedication, pragmatism, 
professionalism and creativity during your tenure as Chair of the General Council . You served us 
well. Your leadership, style  is very effective, transparent  and consul tative . As coordinators , under 
your leadership , it was the hardest we have ever worked, but we enjoyed doing so. We were 
particularly pleased with your management of the various processes and general advice  in the 
preparation for MC12 last year including t he MC12 outcome document  negotiations.  We wish you 
well as you move to the next phase of your contribution to the multilateral trading system and to us 
as colleagues with your extensive experience. In that regard, we hope that you will be able to 
continue to lend your skills to the various areas of our work here in the WTO.  
15.22.   The representative of India delivered the following statement:  
15.23.   India supports the slate of names proposed for the Chairs of WTO main bodies. We would 
like to congratulate all the new Ch airs and my delegation looks forward to working with all of them WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  closely to achieve progress in WTO 's work, as well as good outcomes at MC12 this year. Chair, 
having reached consensus on this slate of names, my delegation also hopes that we can conclude 
the process for selection of Chairs for the subsidiary bodies without much delay avoiding repeat of 
last year experience. I hope that everyone will stick to the principles of transparency, diversity and 
regional balance for quick completion of the process.  
15.24.   Let me also take this opportunity to thank you my dear friend Ambassador Da cio Castillo , 
the outgoing GC Chair , for your exemplary work as Chair of the General Council and particularly in 
the run up to the now postponed MC12. Ambassador Castillo , you have s et a new benchmark for 
Chairs in the WTO . This is not the opinion of just me as a person or my delegation . Across 
delegations , I have heard these words of appreciation for your work which have been echoed in 
today's meeting as well. A lot of things have be en said about your personal attributes and 
appearances . I am not going to those . But let me put some of the attributes which I noticed. Your 
calm demeanour,  patience, willingness to listen to everyone, including delegations with divergent 
points of view, y our methods adopted to bring convergence among Members in a fair and transparent 
manner  will be remember ed for times to come . I hope other colleagues who take up Chairmans hips 
of different WTO Bodies will follow  a similar path that you have set . You could perhaps  be a mentor 
to them. Your all -inclusive approach helped us achiev e significant progress during the discussions 
on the MC12 outcome document which unfortunately we did not see happen during your tenure . I 
do believe that that document will serve as a pillar for further discussion. Your all -inclusive approach 
was missing i n some of the other pillars Y our time now will be better utilized to put your method of 
working into th ese areas . We will miss you as the GC Chair in the run up to and during the Ministerial . 
But I am sure, my friend Ambassador Chambovey will fill in the large shoes being left by you, 
Ambassador Castillo . I do hope that Dacio will continue to pilot some of the work that he was already 
piloting, and his services would be avail able to the larger Membership in the coming months  – at 
least until MC12. I wish to place on record my delegation's deep appreciation for Ambassador 
Castillo 's work as GC Chair during 2021  and your work as a Troika Member for the election of the 
Director -General  and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. I take this opportunity to 
welcome my friend Ambassador Didier Chambovey  on being elected as the new Chair of General 
Council . His Chairmanship of the G eneral Council  during the Ministerial year wi ll be critical in 
achieving successful and meaningful outcomes at MC12 . I wish to assure the full support of the 
Indian delegation for his work as Chair  of the General Council  during the year and also for ensuring 
successful MC12 under this stewardship.  
15.25.   And Chair , if you permit me just to one minute on agenda  item 14, we often hear that we 
do not listen to each other or we do not talk to each other and today exactly that has happened. If 
my intervention can be replayed in this forum, at no place I have cri ticized the staff members of this 
Organization. My reference was to Senior Management staff, and I do not think it is referring to all 
the staff of WTO so I will request not to generalize it because we do value the importance of staff in 
WTO and we also ge t benefit out of their excellent work.  
15.26.   The representative of Thailand  delivered the following statement:  
15.27.   Let me first address a point raised in the previous agenda item that some Members have 
spoken about . Thailand is one of the delegations that appreciate  highly and look forward to more 
contributions on analytical and substantive work from the WTO Secretariat  – both senior and junior. 
In my time since I have started working on the multilateral trading system in 1993, I was a junior 
person that put the fina l Act into our parliament . I have been involved in the WTO ever since. I have 
never doubt ed the Secretariat's impartiality  and the quality of their work and analysis . This house is 
blessed with one of the most capable and highly efficient and effective Secretariat . I salute them for 
their work and look for ward to their future contributions.  
15.28.   We do not want to leave on a sour note on this very tense day . Many things have happened 
since last night . So let me say a few words on  Dacio . We have known  each other since our early 30s 
and now we are in our 50s . As it has been a long time we know each other , I have watched you with 
great amazement for the past years since I arrived  – how you have become such a capable and very 
intelligent and highly effici ent Chair of the General Council . The position that you have  and the 
achievements you have accomplished should make you  be proud of yourself . That is my view as 
your long term friend and acquaintance . I particularly want to express Thailand's  sincere appre ciation 
to your hard efforts  and stewardship of  the work of the General Council towards the end of last yea r 
– a very critical time for everyone.  We do not have to talk about your elegance and eloquence, your 
impeccable style and luxurious hair . What I app reciate most  about you is your wit and your WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  ruthlessness sometimes alternating with being charming. Under your leadership , we have concluded 
and achieved quite a great deal so it is my very personal disappointment that I w ill not see you and 
the D irector -General together gavel the conclusion of MC12 . But I am sure that you will be very 
helpful and will continue to help Members as we deal with some areas of our future work . Hopefully 
you will not be leaving us to enjoy your time on the beach again. Taking al l things together,  I can 
assure you, Dacio,  that no Chair , past or future,  can beat you in being the most handsome  one. We 
also congratulate our new Chairs and look forward to working with all of you.  
15.29.   The representative of Panama , on behalf of GRULAC and Article XII Members , delivered the 
following statement:  
15.30.   The first part of my notes was to confirm everything that our colleague from Thailand has 
just said about you, Dacio. Y ou exceeded my expectations and it is actually only a small part of 
everything we could say about you because there is very much that coul d be said about our dear 
Chair . Both GRULAC and Article XII Members want in a very special way to recognize the work and 
efforts that Ambassador  Dacio Castillo has carried out as Chair of the General Council . We appreciate 
the support that you  have provide d to WTO Members and how you promoted meetings in different 
configurations always with transparency, objectivity and impartiality  – with the aim of facilitating 
conversations and addressing the problems in the different Committees. A constant during your 
period was undoubtedly your continued attempts to promote convergence and landing zones. More 
recently , we witnessed your leadership in the consultations you conducted in the run up to  MC12 
and on the way forward on substantive issues including the  WTO's re sponse to the COVID -19 
pandemic in which you invited Members to work towards a holistic, comprehensive and balanced 
outcome. Undoubtedly, many challenges lie ahead . We as Members must address them firmly and 
effectively through concerted effort and coopera tion so that the WTO remains an effective instrument 
that successfully promot es the current negotiations and  addresses challenges in our future work . 
We likewise  wish the incoming Chair, Ambassador Didier Chambovey, all success . We reiterate the 
commitment  of GRULAC and the Article XII Members  in this regard.  I again underscore our gratitude 
to you, Ambassador Castillo, for your leadership during your term  – your vision and commitment. 
Your work has been fruitful . We wish you all success in your future proj ects – both personal and 
professional . Let me add a word of thanks  to the outgoing Chairs for their very professional work,  
successes  and support . Congratulations and best wishes for the success of all the incoming Chairs. 
Their success will be our success  – they also have our  full support.  
15.31.   The representative of Mauritius  delivered the following statement:  
15.32.   Let me  add my voice to those who have spoken ahead of me in recogniz ing and commend ing 
the impeccable manner in which you , Ambassador Castillo,  conducted your Chairmanship. We know 
well that it was not always very easy but you remained transparent in approach, professional, always 
available for a conversation, and impartial  at all times . Above all, if I can use one word to characterize 
your Chairmanship , it would be the word honesty . You acted as an honest broker for the Council and 
for the Membership . We are grateful for that and hope you will continue your service in that manner 
in times t o come in different capacities. On a personal note, Chair, I have known both you and 
Ambassador Chambovey for an equal number of years . I know we also will be well served by 
Ambassador Chambovey  in terms of integrity and honesty  – and I assure him our full  support.  
15.33.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDC s, delivered the following statement:  
15.34.   Allow me to congratulate the new Chair s of the different bodies and thank the outgoing ones.  
Chair, we extend our gratitude to  you for the great efficiency with  which you have organized work 
thanks to your talent, availability and in -depth knowledge spanning  the last two decades. You have 
served not only the interest of LDCs but you have also strengthened the multilateral trading system. 
You are the fifth person from Latin America  and the first  from Central America t o Chair the General 
Council. You have also chaired the  TRIPS Council  – both the regular body and the negotiating group  
as well as  the Goods Council. You have left a mark on the WTO through your contrib utions in  
strengthen ing the multilateral trading system  which you helped craft.  We hope that , in the future , 
you will continue to contribute through your wisdom. We wish you  all success in your future 
endeavours . We likewise  congratulate Ambassador Didier Chambovey for his election as the new 
Chair of the General Council  and wish him all the best. Rest assured of the LDCs'  full support .  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  15.35.   The representative of Nigeria  delivered the following statement:  
15.36.   Let me join colleagues in congratulat ing the newly elected Chairs , wish them a very 
successful tenure and assure them o f Nigeria's  support.  Chair, we commend you for your 
performance throughout your leadership as Chair of the General Council. You have been very 
transparent, open and accommodat ing. We enjoyed working with you. We also welcome the 
incoming Chair,  Ambassador Chambovey.  We have confidence in him  as he Chaired various bodies 
and the  Friends of the System . We have seen the leadership he exhibited and feel that he will do 
better when he takes over as Chair of the General Council. My delegation  assures him our suppo rt. 
15.37.   The representative of  the Philippines  delivered the following statement:  
15.38.   We congratulate Ambassadors who have been appointed to head WTO Councils  and 
Committees, with Amb assador Didier Chambovey as its lead as incoming General Council Chair . We 
welcome all of them and assure them of the Philippines ' continued cooperation in  their respective  
work for the WTO and the  multilateral trading system. We also thank the Chairs who are departing 
for their commitment and diligence over the past work cycle  – in particular Ambassador Dacio Castillo 
for steering the General Council through the rough waters of the pandemic . We thank GRULAC for 
its excellent nomination of Ambassador Castillo to lead the General Council . Ambassador Castillo,  
your leadership and work will ultimately redound to a successful MC12 in June. Thank you, Dacio, 
for your long service to your country and the W TO and  not least for your long friendship with me 
and the Philippines delegation . We wish you the very best.  
15.39.   The representative of Turkey  delivered the following statement:  
15.40.   I congratulate all the colleagues appointed to WTO Bodies  – in particular, Ambassad or Didier 
Chambovey . I wish him the very best of success and assure the support of my delegation during his 
tenure. Chair,  my delegation and I  would like to thank you for your able and wise leadership and 
remarkable contributions to this organization. I  intended to further praise you  but they have already 
been eloquently captured in the speech of the Ambassador of Thailand . I would simply  align myself 
with Ambassador  Dagfinn  Sørli (Norway)  and Ambassador George Mina (Australia)  for obvious 
reasons and thank  you for everything.  
15.41.   The representative of China  delivered the following statement:  
15.42.   China would like to congratulate all the newly elected Chairs. We will strongly support their 
work for this organization.  Chair, to yourself, I would like to extend my hear tfelt appreciation for 
your tireless efforts and excellent leadership in guiding our work in 2021, one of the most difficult 
years in decades. As we are still running up to MC12, we very much hope that your legacy such as 
the MC12 outcome document could be  highly respected. I would also like to congratulate and warmly 
welcome Amb assador  Chambovey as the new Chair of the General Council. We have every 
confidence that under your leadership, 2022 will be a harvest year for this organization. I think this 
objec tive is also your responsibility and mission.  
15.43.   The representative of  the Dominican Republic  delivered the following statement:  
15.44.   The Dominican Republic  congratulate s all the newly elected Chairs  and will support  all of you 
in your work in particular the new GC Chair the Ambassador of Switzerland who we are confident 
would  carry out the work of this Body efficiently . With regard to  you, Ambassador Dacio  Castillo , the 
Dominican Republic is very proud of your work in this Body. We supported you from the beginning. 
We have listened to all the compliments that the Heads of Delegation  have expressed and we join  
them in congratulating you as we agree with all their comments. You have carried out the work of 
this Body transparen tly and efficiently in difficult times for the organization and for the world . Thank 
you very much for your work. We will continue to follow you and what you are doing in your work 
in the future.  
15.45.   The representative of Chile delivered the following stateme nt: 
15.46.   Chair, I congratulat e you for a successful appointment process.  We sometimes learn about 
problems in this process just like what had  happened last year in the Subsidiary Bodies . I also thank 
the outgoing Chairs including Ambassador Villalobos  and those  from the  GRULAC region . We wish  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  the new Chairs  all the best  and convey to them that they  can count on Chile's  support. Chile would 
likewise congratulate the Secretariat for its work  and professionalism . We congratulate the Director -
General  and the Secretariat staff including  the interpreters and the technicians  that continued to 
work throughout the pandemic. The technical team was key for us to be able to keep working so 
thank you again to you all . Ambassador Dacio  Castillo,  we have known e ach other for 20 years and 
we congratulate you  for your hair, your clothes, your watch,  and everything  else. But above all, we 
congratulate you for the work you have carried out with utmost professional, openness and a great  
sense of humour . You always kno w how to best conduct the business of the General Council  and 
arrive at outcomes that could be adopted by Ministers. I wish you much success in the new 
challenges ahead and hope that you would continue to face them with the same vigour and 
motivation as yo u did at the General Council. Thank you very much, Dacio.  
15.47.   The representative of Indonesia  delivered the following statement:  
15.48.   We would like to congratulate all Permanent Representatives  who have been appointed  today  
as Chairs of WTO Bodies. Indonesia looks forward to working closely with all of them . Let me also 
welcome Ambassador Chambovey as the new Chair of the General Council and assure  him of our 
delegation's continued  commitment to engage constructively . We have full confidence in his 
leadership and lo ok forward to working with him for a successful MC12 with the hope of continuing  
the good work already done in this regard while upholding  the principles of transparency, openness 
and fairness. We would also like to thank all the previous Chairs who have s erved the organization 
well during these difficult times and ensure the well -functioning of the various important WTO 
Councils and Committees. Now, a llow me to take this opportunity to convey Indonesia's sincere and 
deepest appreciation to you Chair, Ambas sador Castillo, as Chair of the General Council . Your 
excellent leadership is well acknowledged  and, more importantly,  your openness, fairness  and calm 
demeanour.  Your Chairmanship has led us much closer to reaching outcome s at MC12 .   
15.49.   The representative of Guatemala  delivered the following statement:  
15.50.   I would like to thank the outgoing Chairs of the various bodies and wish them much success . 
For those who have just been appointed,  I want to congratulate them and wish  them much success 
in their work. Now, with regard to Ambassador Didier Chambovey, I would like to congratulate him 
on his election as Chair of the General Council and wish him much success. In addressing all the 
issues ahead, you can count on our commitment and our support. W ith regard to  Ambassador Dacio 
Castillo, we would like to seize this opportunity to thank him for all his work as Chair of this Council. 
It has not been easy . He has however dealt with things very well and has spoken very eloquently . 
Many before me have al ready mentioned his capacity and amazing qualities. S o, let me just echo 
them and reiterate my admiration for your abilit ies, impartiality  and unconditional commitment to 
the multilateral trading system. Thank you very much, Dacio.  
15.51.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  delivered the following statement:  
15.52.   Chair, I would like to join other colleagues in sincerely thank ing you for your leadership, 
tireless efforts and remarkable work in the past year as Chair of the General Council . As mentioned 
by other colleag ues, you have set a very high standard of serving as Chair  – which  is difficult to 
achieve . I trust that many Members would expect you to still play an active role in assisting us on 
many issues in various capacities . We also congratulate Ambassador Chambovey for assuming the 
chairmanship of the General Council and look forward to working with him in the coming year.  
15.53.   The representative of Nepal  delivered the following statement:  
15.54.   I welcome the new Chair of the General Council and the Chairs of various Bodies and look 
forward to working together constructively. Ambassador Didier Chambovey, your  leadership  as the 
new Chair of the General Council  at this critical time is particularly important to conclude the long -
awaited Twelfth  Ministerial Conference.  Nepal therefore wishes you every success in your role. You 
can count on Nepal's full support in your new assignment. Turning now  to the outgoing Chair, 
Ambassador Dacio Castillo . My delegation sincerely appreciates the efforts and contribution that 
Ambassador Dacio  Castillo has  made during his tenure as the Chair of the General Council. We 
commend the way he led the preparatory process for the MC12 last year despite  its postponement 
due to the new variant of COVID -19. The transparent and participatory approach in preparing the 
outcome document – having consultations among Members on issues of divergent views and the WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  cocktail discussions for concluding the WTO Response to the Pandemic is h ighly commendable. I 
wish Ambassador Dacio Castillo every success in his future endeavours.  
15.55.   The representative of South Africa  delivered the following statement:  
15.56.   South Africa aligns itself with the statement delivered by the African Group and the ACP. We 
would like to congratulate all newly -elected incoming Chairs of WTO Bodies and Committees and 
wish them well in their new responsibilities. We also thank the outgoing Chairs for the invariable 
contributions to the work of the WTO. Chair, as you vacate the C hairmanship of the General Council, 
South Africa would also like to express our sincere gratitude to you, Chair, Ambassador Castillo for 
the excellent manner which you fulfilled your responsibilities during your term. The grace with which 
you undertook you r duties was admirable and exemplary. Your stewardship of the work of this 
Council, work ethic, professionalism, diplomatic acumen, transparency and sense of fairness built 
bridges where many deemed impossible. We also take this opportunity to welcome the incoming 
Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Chambovey  and wish him well in his new responsibilities . 
You can count on the cooperation and support of South Africa during your tenure.  
15.57.   The representative of Japan  delivered the following statement:  
15.58.   First, t hank you to the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Dacio  Castillo . You will have 
more free time from tomorrow . So I would like to receive you with sake and wine. I will make this 
comment  in writing and  submit it to you to make it l egally binding. Second, w e deal with more than 
30 international organizations in Geneva. The WTO Secretariat is definitely first class , including  its 
Senior Management.  
15.59.   The representative of Sierra Leone  delivered the following statement:  
15.60.   I would like to join colleagues in thanking you, Chair,  Ambassador Dacio Castillo,  for the 
professionalism with which you have conducted business at the WTO  during your term as Chair of 
the General Council . I likewise welcome the incoming Chair , Ambassador Didier Chambove y of 
Switzerland. I am completely confident that he will perform just as  well as the outgoing Chair . I 
would also like to thank colleagues for the confidence deposited in Sierra Leone  in taking on the task 
of chairing  the TRIPS Council this year. W e hope t hat we will be able to navigate the various interests 
and reach consensus during MC12. On the  Senior Management,  we do not envisage the Senior 
Management to be a frozen bureaucracy that does  not act in a robust way to push such agendas . As 
a very small cou ntry, we expect that organizations like the WTO can make robust advocacy on behalf 
of developing and least -developed countries. We will defend that role  and are glad that we have a 
very active and robust Senior Management of the WTO.  
15.61.   The representative of Honduras  delivered the following statement:  
15.62.   We congratulate the new Chair  of the General Council , Ambassador Didier Chambovey, and 
wish him every success . He has the support of our delegation. We also take this opportunity  to 
congratu late and thank on behalf of Honduras  Ambassador  Dacio Castillo for his wonderful work as 
Chair of the General Council . It has been a difficult year filled with  challenges but you handled them 
in a wonderful way. Thank you, Ambassador Castillo.  
15.63.   The represe ntative of Bangladesh  delivered the following statement:  
15.64.   Bangladesh congratulates the new Chair of the G eneral Council , Ambassador Didier 
Chambovey. We have full confidence on your wisdom and leadership . You can count on our support 
and cooperation. Under your able leadership, we are optimistic to productively undertake the 
preparatory work for MC12 and other important tasks at the WTO. My delegation also wants to 
convey sincere thanks to the outgoing Chairs of the different WTO bodies for their valuable 
contribution . Bangladesh welcome s the newly appointed Chairs and wish them every success. 
Finally,  Chair, Ambassador Dacio Castillo,  you have been leading us during the past  year as our GC 
Chair. During this difficult time, your job has not been an easy one . We are grateful for your work  
which you performed  with professional excellence and the highest standard of neutrality. My 
delegation salutes you . We hope that your wisdom and skills will continue to guide the multilateral 
spirit in this organization.  WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  15.65.   The representative of Hong Kong, China  delivered the following statement:  
15.66.   I would like to join other colleagues in express ing our sincere appreciation and gratitude to 
you, Ambassador Dacio  Castillo , for your excellent leadership as our GC Chair during the pas t year, 
steering us steadily through the uncertainties brought by the pandemic and many other challenges 
with transparency, impartiality and professionalism.  I also congratulate Ambassador Didier 
Chambovey on his new role as the next Chair  of the General C ouncil . I assure you of Hong Kong , 
China 's full support in the coming year.  
15.67.   The representative of Sri Lanka  delivered the following statement:  
15.68.   I want to express my delegation's gratitude to both Ambassadors incoming and outgoing, 
after listening to many interventions. First, I would like to congratulate all the new Chairs who were 
appointed today and wish them well in their new assignments and al so to place on record our sincere 
appreciation to those outgoing. I would also like to thank Ambassador Dacio Castillo and  welcome 
Ambassador Didier  Chambovey.  Both of them are well -known to me from years ago and at that time 
Ambassador Chambovey  was a del egate and Ambassador Castillo  was already an Ambassador and 
continues to be one. Ambassador Castillo, it has been  a marathon  of a career  that you have be en 
providing  to your country. Dacio , when I first met you,  you were a very young Officer . I do not have  
any doubt about i t. I was more senior to you . You were a young boy then. Now, the only difference 
between you and me is that you have got more grey hair than me but I think that you have also 
become wiser  than me , because you have carried so much on your shoulders. Dacio, I do not know 
which words to pick from the English languag e. It is not my native language . Many delegates who 
spoke before me have already picked up all the nice words and commenda tions. So,  let me 
summarize what I have to say . Dacio, y ou are outstanding . You are handsome – as many have 
already said.  You are a shoulder to cry on because you listen to many delegations and you try to 
resolve their issues . Your ability to  listen to the concerns raised and make  the voices of delegations  
heard was an extraordinary quality that any Chair should possess. In that regard, I know Didier is 
an equally commendable gentleman . I hope he will be able to take us towards a positive outc ome 
at MC12. So, I wish Didier all the very best and assure  him of my  delegation's support in discharging 
his duties. Dacio, we are not going to say goodbye because we want you to carry more roles and 
responsibilities in the days to come.  
15.69.   The representati ve of Singapore  delivered the following statement:  
15.70.   Chair, you have been flooded with so many praises . I just want to thank you for your 
tremendous contributions as  Chair  of the General Council.  In particular , I want to thank you for 
always kindly giving me  advance notice before my turn to speak . Most important of all , you have 
secured a very nice invitation from Kazu to dine at his home . He has an excellent cellar as we all 
know. I also welcome Didier . Congratulations on your appointment as the new Chair  of the General 
Council. Yo u can be assured of Singapore's full support . We are confident that you will steer the 
General Council with the famous Swiss efficiency, precision and effectiveness. And finally, I just want 
to take this opportunity to reiterate and  share the views that have been expressed by many that we 
have full confidence in the Secretariat, particularly the Senior Management, including the DDGs who 
are all very high calibre personalities.  
15.71.   The representative of Malaysia  delivered the following s tatement:  
15.72.   Let me join others in thanking you , Ambassador Dacio  Castillo,  for your excellent leadership 
and outstanding stewardship in the past two years especially during the challenging time marred by 
the COVID -19 pandemic.  My congratulations also go to A mbassador Didier as the new General 
Council Chair. Rest assured of my delegation’s full support to you and other WTO Bod y Chairpersons 
for 2022.  And also, not to forget or colleague  Ambassador  Kemvichet  Long as the new Chair of the 
Council for Trade in Services.  
15.73.   The representative of Colombia  delivered the following statement:  
15.74.   Chair, just to thank you for all of your work. I must highlight that I admire your patience, 
tenacity and serenity in carrying o ut the work. Thank you Dacio. I would also want to convey 
Colombia's full support and commitment to Ambassador Didier Chambovey as he assumes his role 
as the new Chair of the General Council.   WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  15.75.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
16  OTHER BUSINESS  
16.1  Statement by the Chair in connection with Administrative Measures for Members in 
arrears  
16.1.   The Chair  recalled that t he General  Council Procedures for Members and Observers subject to 
Administrative Measures in WT/BFA/132 required that, at the end of each meeting of the General 
Council, the Chair of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration would provide 
information with  regard to which Members and Observers were under Administrative Measures.  
16.2.   The Chair  drew attention to the reports of the Budget Committee in documents WT/BFA/198 , 
WT/BFA/199 and WT/BFA/ 200, including WT/BFA/ 198/Corr.1.  
16.3.   Ambassador Bettina Waldmann (Germany ), Chair of the Committee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration , provided the following statement:  
16.4.   The administrative measures applicable to Members and Observers with arrears in 
contribution have been in place since 2013, in accordance with the decision o f the General Council . 
I shall state all Members and Observers under all categories of administrative measures. As of today, 
there are 30 Members and 11 Observers under administrative measures. Members in Category 1: 
Afghanistan, Plurinational State of Bol ivia, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Dominica, El Salvador, Gambia, 
Grenada, Kyrgyz Republic, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Members in Category 2: 
Djibouti, Gabon, Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Surinam e and  Yemen. Members in Category 3: 
Antigua and Bar buda, Congo, Cuba, Guinea  and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  Members in 
Category 3 not compliant with the payment plan terms: Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, 
Guinea Bissau  and Niger. Observers in Category 1: Ethiopia, Lebanese Republic  and South Sudan. 
Observers in Category 2: Comoros, Iran, Iraq  and Sudan. Observers in Category 3: Libya, Sao Tome 
and Principe, Somalia  and Syrian Arab Republic. Finally, I would like to make some personal remarks. 
I am very pleased that I will be able to con tinue as Chair of the CBFA . I very much appreciate your 
support . I would also like to thank Ambassador Dacio Castillo  for being a great Chair  of the General 
Council .   
16.5.   The General Council took note  of the statement.  
17  ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON  
17.1.   The Chair recall ed that , in the tradition of his predecessors , he would say a few final words. 
It had been a real privilege and honour to serve as Chair of the General Council and before that as 
the Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body. He wanted to start thanking the People and the 
Government of Honduras for allowing him to be their Ambassador before this important organization. 
He also thank ed GRULAC for giving him the opportunity to assume  those roles. He wanted to thank 
everyone  for the trust they placed in him during his term as the GC Chair and as the DSB Chair 
before that. He was deeply grateful for that and for their continuous support over th e past  two years.  
17.2.   Looking back at his tenure as the DSB Chair, he had been  heartened to see Members' active 
engagement on dispute settlement -related work including when conversations had become tough. 
Another milestone during his Chairmanship was the DG Selection Process in 2020 and 2021 which 
he had the honour to facilitate tog ether with the then GC Chair Ambassador David Walker from New 
Zealand and Ambassador Harald Aspelund from Iceland. This process  had resulted in the historical 
appointment of Dr . Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala of Nigeria as the seven th Director -General and the first 
woman to lead this organization. Behind them was an extremely challenging year. The COVID -19 
pandemic continue d to put the world, including the WTO, to a test. He thank ed all Members for their 
tireless efforts and goodwill which allow ed them to carry work f orward . He was pleased that they 
had registered progress in several areas of work including with respect to the Ministerial Conference 
agenda which had been  first reflected in his report to the General Council in May in JOB/GC/259 . 
Throughout his tenure in  2021 and early 2022 , he had  held consultations on a number of different 
matters  including  MC12 preparations comprising the format, MC12 dates  and Members ' priority 
areas ; MC12 outcome document ; Work Programme  on Electronic Commerce;  LDC Graduation  and 
the overall process of consultations of the Appointment of Officers as well as  the Appointment of WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  Officers of the  Subsidiary Bodies of the Goods Council and the Services Council in 2021 and the 2022 
Appointments cycle for WTO Bodies under Tier 1, among others . 
17.3.   Transparency and inclusiveness were of paramount importance to him. He had  made every 
effort to ensure that every delegation ha d an opportunity to be heard. In this regard, I thank ed each 
and every one for the monumental work undertaken by each delegation. As Chair of the General 
Council, he could not but recognize the relationship between listening to each other and the ability 
to progress . Coupled with transparency and inclusiveness , this  provide d a key impetus to 
convergence building. Unfortunately, the epidemiological situation had not allow ed for MC12 to 
happen in 2021 . But in all these hours upon hours  of consultations and meetings , he had been 
heartened to see the shared sense o f responsibility and determination to safeguard and strengthen 
the rules -based multilateral trading system. As he passed on the hat as GC Chair to Ambassador 
Chambovey from Switzerland and looking ahead , he was  hopeful that Members  could keep building 
on a positive synergy and continue engaging in a constructive and result -oriented manner . He wished 
Didier all the very best in his role this year. Based on his own experience, he said with confidence 
that he ha d the best possible support in the WTO Membership , the Director -General and the WTO 
Secretariat and also wish ed to assure him of his own support.  
17.4.   He would like to end with a few words of much deserved thank you for the Chair s of the 
regular bodies for their support through out the year that he had been a s the Chair of the General 
Council. He thanked  Group Coordinators for making things happen  and the Director -General for her 
cooperation, energy and leadership.  He thanked  the WTO Secretariat for their tireless effort s 
especially the ones who ha d been helpi ng him through out the  year and he would like to mention 
some names , Stefania  Bernabe, Petra Beslac , Joan  Apecu, Joseph  Gregorio , Zainab  Mchumo,  Susan  
Conn and  Samantha Morgan.  He could not have done anything without them . He thanked them all  
from the bottom of his heart , together with Mr. Victor  do Prado . He was also looking to the back of 
the room for the ushers and the interpreters  who were often forgotten . He thanked all of them very 
much for their help.  
17.5.   On a personal note, he would like t o thank his life-long family May, Dani, Silvy, Helena and 
Mike. In closing, he could not but stress enough the importance of working together, listening to 
one another  and moving in the same direction . In this spirit, he would like to encourage all 
delegat ions to stay engaged, build on the progress achieved last year in various areas and overcome 
the remaining divergencies. They all need ed to make the extra bit and an effort to move across the 
final line. In some areas, they we re closer than they thought . With th ose words , he would like to 
thank them all once again very much and wish ed them  all and the WTO a healthy and successful 
2022. With th ose words, he was  free. 
17.6.   He then propose d to move to  the election of the new Chairperson. On the basis of the 
underst andings that ha d been reached on the appointment of officers to WTO bodies, he propose d 
that the General Council elect ed by acclamation H.E. Ambassador Didier Chambovey  (Switzerland ) 
as the next Chairperson of th at body.  
17.7.   The General Council so agreed . 
17.8.   The Director -General  congratulate d all the new Chairs and thank ed the outgoing ones for their 
service. On the  departing Chair, Ambassador Castillo, the first General Council Chair that she had 
worked with as  Director -General , it was really difficult  to say something after hearing all the great 
accolades. As they had  started getting to know and work with each other, as some would expect, 
there had been  challenging moments which they had  quickly overc ome together  – and voilà , they 
had become friends . They had gotten to tease each other and share a lot of fun and not so fun 
moments. As he always compliment ed her, that day, she publicly return ed the favour . Since he had 
been praised on everything  already,  what she wanted to say was that she  really admire d his glorious 
tan from the Spanish sun. In honour of  their friendship that ha d grown in her first year as Director -
General and TNC Chair , she had  worn his favourite scarf that day – which she was  not going to give  
to him. She just wanted him to see it.  
17.9.   On a serious note, during his  election last year as GC Chair, he had  said that he had  deeply 
believed that if all Members had worked together to achieve the objectives and overcome the 
obstacles,  they would succeed. Througho ut the year , she had seen  how he had persevered in 
shepherding the General Council . He had  ensured that the processes had been  fully inclusive and WT/GC/M/196  
 
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  transparent as everyone ha d said. He had  made sure that the voice of each Member had been  heard. 
When he had said that he would reach out to Members in different configurations , he had  meant it  
– from bilaterals, small groups and representative groups to informal open -ended meetings, he had  
made sure that every delegation had felt  part of the processes under the General Council . The 
Castillo Cocktail provide d the needed kick especially when the going g ot tough. She commend ed him 
for his dedication, stewardship and stamina . He had  led processes involving difficult issues that  had 
required enormous efforts on his part such as the  MC12 preparations and then its sudden 
postponement, the MC12 outcome document, pandemic response, LDC Graduation and appointment 
of officers, to name just a few . And, he had  done it Dacio -style – with ease, charm and class. While 
2021 had presented many challenges , they  had weather ed the storms together . Though they had  
not g otten all the way there , they had  gotten closer to delivering results for the people  they were 
there to serve. So, she thanked Ambassador Castillo. As  they headed towards MC12 and beyond , 
she knew that Members could  continue to count on his unwavering support for a strong, inclusive 
multilateral trading system. She hoped that his  fully tr ansparent, inclusive, Member -driven and 
open-ended legacy live d on in th e house of trade. In line with WTO tradition, she had presented 
Ambassador  Castillo  with an engraved gavel as a memento of his time as Chai rman of the General 
Council.  
17.10.   She then said a few words of welcome to the newly -elected Chair , Ambassador Didier 
Chambovey of Switzerland. T here was a heavy and urgent workload waiting for him so she would 
keep this brief. His election testifie d to the high level of trust Members ha d in him. 2022 was shaping 
up to be a year of promise, both for the global economy and for this institution . That was what she 
hoped in spite of the present circumstances they were in. She was confident that he would lead the 
General Council with skill and careful judgement. She assure d him that she could also count on his 
own support and that of the Secretariat as he took up this important role.  
17.11.   The newly -elected Chair said that he was greatly honoured to serve the WTO  Membership 
as Chairman of the General Council . He thank ed all colleagues for the confidence they ha d placed in 
him. He was determined and motivated to carry out his task diligently keeping in mind the interest 
of all Members. He warmly thank ed Ambassador Castillo  for his remarkable work, his dynamism and 
his steady commitment . He would in particular like to highlight his dedication in the context of the 
selection process of the new Director -General as well as in the lead -up to the Ministerial Conference 
that should have taken place last year. The Membership had  benefited from Ambassador Castillo's  
tireless efforts and was grateful to him. He  knew that he could seek his advice  anytime . He would 
also like to thank the Director -General for her warm welcome  and looked forward to working with 
her in the coming  twelve  months.  
17.12.   He was aware of the magnitude of the task and the cha llenges ahead . He would spare  no 
effort s to meet them in close cooperation with the Director -General . In carrying out his duties , he 
would be guided by the tradition followed by his predecessors of being impartial and objective, 
ensuring transparency and i nclusiveness and aiming to facilitate consensus . That being said, the 
Chairman of the General Council can only express the collective will of the Members and he count ed 
on their constructive cooperation to achieve their common objectives, starting with the  success of 
the next Ministerial Conference for which they had identified the window. However, Members  still 
needed to set specific dates and modalities for this event, and he would be dealing with th em very 
soon. He hoped that the work of the WTO w ould gain new momentum to reach consensual solutions 
on all fronts. Th at would require perseverance, commitment, political will and active involvement on 
the part of all Members. For his part, he intend ed to take up the issues that f ell within the remit of 
the General Council and bring them forward. And there were many including those relating to the 
preparations for the upcoming Ministerial Conference. He hoped that the recent easing of restrictions 
related to the COVID -19 epidemic w ould allow delegations  to increase the quality of their interaction.  
17.13.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
 
_______________   WT/GC/M/196  
 
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ANNEX 1  
STATEMENTS ON THE TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
(AGENDA ITEM 5)  
 
 
At their request, the statement s of Chad (LDCs), Nepal and Paraguay  sent to the Secretariat are 
included below as part of the Minutes of the General Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Chad (LDCs)  
We welcome the proposed dates from the government of Switzerland for holding the Twelfth 
Ministerial Conference, as indicated in June this year. We believe that holding the Ministerial 
Conference is essential to oversee our work and receive the necessary g uidance from our Ministers. 
Setting the date will certainly contribute towards reinvigorating our regular work and negotiations 
on several important files. The LDC Group has a preference for the second dates from the 13th of 
June. We must also set a realis tic agenda for the Ministerial Conference. The Marrakesh Agreement 
sets out the obligation to hold the Ministerial Conference at least every two years and the 
responsibilities and functions of the Ministerial Conference, the highest decision -making body of  the 
WTO, are several. We must also work together now in solution orientation to reach agreement on 
as much as we can to put for Ministers' blessing. At the same time, we will need guidance from 
Ministers going forward to reinvigorate the work of the WTO. The LDC Group remains committed to 
a successful MC12 this year.  
Nepal  
I associate with the statement delivered by Chad, Panama and Mongolia on behalf of respective 
groups. My delegation welcomes the proposal of holding the long -awaited Twelfth Ministerial 
Conference in June this year. Concluding MC12 with a view to regaining and rebuilding trust in the 
WTO and delivering results in favour of people at large across the globe has become urgent especially 
in this pandemic situation. The world is watching us. D elivering expected results at MC12 would be 
an opportunity for this institution to give a positive signal of hope and aspiration in the multilateral 
organization like the WTO to deliver in the crisis. Furthermore, it is necessary to oversee our work 
of the  past four and half years and provide necessary guidance and mandate for our future work.  
Therefore, we need to prioritize work areas and redouble our efforts in a more flexible and pragmatic 
manner to make the MC12 a great success. Nepal remains committe d to concluding MC12 
successfully. My delegation stands ready to engage with the entire MC12 preparation process and 
you can count on Nepal's full support in this regard.  
Paraguay  
We reiterate what was expressed in yesterday's informal meeting that Paragu ay has a preference 
for the week of 13 June in Geneva. We urgently need to set a new date for MC12 to allow us to 
organize the work more efficiently and move forward with the substantive agenda. In addition, we 
would like to suggest that, to the extent pos sible, meetings be confined to WTO headquarters and 
that the programme of activities focus on substantive issues, avoiding, as far as possible, merely 
ceremonial matters. With respect to the MC12 package, Paraguay considers that substantive work 
should be the priority, and a limited agenda defined a priori with a new date would help to focus 
work in the coming weeks. My delegation is of the view that there is an urgent need to obtain results 
on at least four priority issues: agriculture, the multilateral WT O response to the pandemic, fisheries 
subsidies, and WTO reform, prioritizing the restoration of the Appellate Body without further delay. 
In this connection, my delegation will continue to work constructively with Members to achieve a 
successful MC12.  
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