WT/MIN(22)/ 22 
15 June 2022  
(22-4659) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12-15 June  2022 Original:  English   
 
 
DECLARATION OF MINISTERS OF THE GROUP OF SMALL AND VULNERABLE  
ECONOMIES (SVES) TO THE TWELFTH SESSION OF THE WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
The following communication, dated 14 June 2022 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Guatemala on behalf of the Group of Small and Vulnerable Economies.  
 
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We, the Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Group of Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs):  
 
Reiterate , pursuant to Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the importance of 
continued work for a fair, equitable, inclusive, transparent, non -discriminatory and rules -based 
multilateral trading system.  
 
Reaffirm  the centrality of development in the Wo rld Trade Organization (WTO).  
 
Emphasiz e that effective special and differential treatment, a key principle of multilateralism, must 
not be undermined.  
 
Reaffirm  the importance of the Work Programme on Small Economies contained in Paragraph  35 
of the Doha Ministerial Declaration and Paragraph  41 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration.  
 
Note  the progress achieved on SVEs priorities, especially the work conducted in the CTD's Dedicated 
Session including the reduction of trade costs, investment attract ion, the impact of COVID -19 
pandemic on SVEs; and the impact of natural disasters on small economies.  
 
Welcome  the adoption of the Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies and 
look forward  on the results of the work on integrating sma ll economies into the post COVID -19 
economy: effects of the pandemic, challenges and opportunities.  
 
Further reiterate  the need for Members to continue to address in a substantive and meaningful 
manner, the needs of small, vulnerable economies, and to ado pt specific measures that will facilitate 
their fuller integration into the multilateral trading system.  
 
Urge  Members to commit to preserve the flexibilities that have already been identified and 
recognized in the process of the trade negotiations includ ing in Agriculture and NAMA, and provide 
enhanced flexibilities for SVEs in other negotiating areas in view of their special needs and 
circumstances, as part of any future outcome.  
 
Call for Members' commitment to continue to address in all areas of WTO w ork, in a substantive 
and meaningful manner, the needs of small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) and to favourably consider 
the adoption of such measures that would facilitate our economies' fuller integration into the 
multilateral trading system.  
 
Reaffirm  the need for special consideration and targeted assistance to be given to SVEs, inter alia , 
in the areas of Aid for Trade, Trade and Transfer of Technology; Trade Facilitation, Trade Finance 
and Development Assistance which are priorities for special consideration by the WTO and anticipate WT/MIN(22)/ 22 
 
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  that the appropriate attention will continue to be paid  to these issues in the on -going work of the 
WTO.  
 
Emphasize  the necessity for the continued inclusion of SVEs in the consultations held within the 
regular bodies and the negotiating groups on issues relating to the work of the Organization.  
 
Stress  the importance of continuing the constructive engagement to find concrete and appropriate 
solutions to respond to the trade -related issues of Small, Vulnerable Economies.  
 
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