WT/MIN(24)/ST/56  
26 February 2024  
(24-1544) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: French  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR RICARDIN SAINT -JEAN  
MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY  
HAITI 
It gives me great pleasure to address this august assembly on the occasion of the WTO Thirteenth 
Ministerial Conference, which brings us together in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.  
 
We would like to begin by congratulating the Chair and expressing ou r deepest appreciation to the 
authorities and people of the United Arab Emirates for the superb organization of this Conference 
and the warm welcome extended to us.  
 
My delegation firmly believes in the importance of the multilateral trading system, with the WTO at 
its core. At the start of the COVID -19 crisis, there was a great temptation to introduce measures 
restricting trade, but the WTO kept this from happening. Once again, the multilateral trading system , 
embodied by the WTO, based on transparent and  non-discriminatory rules, demonstrated its 
resilience and  proved  its relevance .  
 
However, Haiti recognizes the need for WTO reform to make the Organization more efficient and 
better able to  respond to new obstacles to and challenges of international trad e.  
 
To that end, Haiti supports a ny reform process that will redress imbalances created by previous 
rounds of negotiations and properly take into account the interests and needs of developing 
countries, especially LDCs.  
 
Haiti shares the view that the cu rrent WTO rules do not give sufficient consider ation to  the realities 
of least developed and developing countries and, therefore, may be detrimental to their interests.  
 
International trade and economic growth are essential in the fight against poverty, b ut the 
connection is not automatic. Trade must take place in a multilateral framework that is inclusive and 
equitable. To achieve this, the voices of developing countries , and especially  LDCs, must be heard 
and their most pressing and urgent concerns must be addressed . Furthermore, my delegation calls 
on Members to review and reform the dispute settlement procedures to make them faster and more 
efficient and transparent.  
 
With regard to agriculture and food security, my delegation calls on Members to refrain from 
imposing export restrictions on food stuffs  ordered by LDCs and net food -importing developing 
countries (NFIDCs) for domestic consumption. Domestic support reform and the adoption of special 
safeguard mechanisms are also essential to protect ou r agricultural sector. On  the matter of  food 
security, we emphasize the need to protect the food security of LDCs, by ensuring that trade policies 
do not compromise their ability to feed their people.  
 
On fisheries, we welcome the adoption of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 
17 June 2022 at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference ,  as the first broad , binding multilateral 
agreement on ocean sustainability.  
 
Haiti pledges to make every effort to ra tify and implement the Agreement , convinced of its 
importance for its marine biodiversity.  
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  My delegation also supports the two -tiered approach of the second wave of negotiations whereby 
the largest subsidizers  would be subject to more scrutiny.  
 
In this  regard, Members' attention is drawn to the need to take into account  the priorities of 
developing countries, particularly LDCs, which are, for the most part, small players in the fisheries 
sector with a share of the global fish catch below an appropriate de minimis  threshold. In addition, 
Haiti continues to call for artisanal and small -scale fishing  to be completely excluded  from any 
disciplines on fisheries subsidies.  
 
Regarding special and differential treatment, Haiti supports the G90 agreement -specifi c proposals, 
emphasizing the need for reforms that promote the economic transformation and sustainable 
development of developing countries.  
 
The Chair's topic-specific facilitation process , initiated by  the Special Session of the Committee on 
Trade and De velopment (CTD -SS), is a positive step forward. Haiti remains committed to working 
constructively with all Members to deliver a fruitful outcome at CM13.  
 
It is time to address these critical development issues, by ensuring that developing countries have 
sufficient means to implement the measures necessary for their development and integration into 
the global economy.  
 
In conclusion, we hope that MC13 will be a success and will be equal to the challenges of today's 
world.  
 
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