WT/MIN(22)/ST/90  
12 June 2022 
(22-4528) Page: 1/3 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original:  French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MS ASSOME AMINATA DIATTA  
MINISTER OF TRADE AND SMALL AND MEDIUM -SIZED ENTERPRISES  
SENEGAL  
I would like to express to you, on behalf of His Excellency Mr Macky Sall, President of the Republic 
of Senegal, and on behalf of the entire Government of Senegal, our deep appreciation for the 
successful organization of this session of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization 
(WTO).  
I would also like to congratulate the Director -General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, and her team for 
their considerable efforts to move forward in the negotiations and achieve results.  
Following the encouraging results achieved in Nairobi in December  2015 and Buenos Aires in 2017, 
it is now time to follow up on and consolidate the fruits of our commitment to building an increasingly 
effective multilateral trading system for all.  
Now more than ever, multilateral trade has a key role to play in reducing inequality among Members 
and must contribute to sustained growth and the attainmen t of the Sustainable Development Goals 
set out in the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.  
It is worth remembering that this Ministerial Conference is taking place in a global context marked 
by an unequal and fragile post -COVID -19 economic recovery and a ten se geopolitical situation in 
Eastern Europe . All these factors have a substantial impact on world trade, the multilateral trading 
system and vulnerable populations around the world.  
In these tough circumstances, developing effective WTO responses to the CO VID-19 pandemic and 
the food crisis is urgent and must be an integral part of the initial results of MC12.  
My delegation therefore welcomes the recent progress made in the negotiations on the waiver of 
certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement and calls fo r the substance of the original compromise 
text resulting from these talks not to be watered down.  
The success of CM12 depends very much on our ability to redress and correct the imbalances 
inherited from the Uruguay Round of negotiations in the area of ag riculture, where agricultural 
subsidies continue to distort international markets and increase poverty in urban and rural areas in 
developing countries, in particular in least developed countries (LDCs).  
In this regard, my delegation believes that the revi sed farm -oriented agriculture modalities of 2008 
on considerably reducing trade -distorting domestic support, among others, provide a good basis for 
continuing the reform process to establish a fair trading system for agricultural products while 
preserving the necessary flexibilities for developing countries and LDCs.  
My delegation also remains convinced that a definitive solution on public stockholding for food 
security purposes is necessary, as is a flexible and effective special safeguard mechanism for 
developing countries and LDCs.  
In addition, I remain confident that a ministerial decision prohibiting export restrictions on food 
purchased for humanitarian and non -commercial purposes by the World Food Programme could WT/MIN(22)/ST/90  
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  contribute significantly to the fight against food insecurity, which is increasingly threatening the 
most vulnerable States.  
Further, Senegal supports the full implementation of previous WTO Ministerial Decisions taken to 
support LDCs.  
My country also calls for the challenges associated with compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary 
standards to be taken into account and for the provision of the trade -related technical assistance 
and capacity -building needed to capitalize on the opportunities afforded at the multilateral level  to 
integrate LDCs into world trade in goods and services.  
In addition to continuing the reform process in agriculture, Senegal supports a WTO reform that 
must adhere to the principles of transparency, justice and equity in the balance of rights and 
obliga tions of its Members while ensuring that the interests of developing countries and LDCs are 
taken into account.  
My delegation believes that development must remain at the heart of the multilateral trading system, 
and the system must continue helping develo ping countries and LDCs to further their integration 
into global value chains.  
The industrialization, diversification and structural transformation of our economies are key to 
meeting this objective . I therefore invite WTO Members to give their consideration and make the 
necessary political commitment to the G -90 proposals on special and differential treatment.  
As regards fisheries subsidies, my delegation continues to support an ambitious and balanced 
multilateral outcome that will contribute to the sustainable use of marine resources and their 
preservation for future generations . The expected outcome will therefore need to include the 
necessary flexibilities for developing countries and LDCs that are f acing constraints in their fisheries 
management systems.  
With regard to the graduation of countries from the LDC list, I would like to recall and, most 
importantly, express my delight, that in December  2021, Senegal  became one of five countries 
whose gradu ation is being considered by the United Nations Committee for Development Policy . This 
is thanks to the significant progress made by my country in achieving its development objectives as 
part of the implementation of the Emergent Senegal Plan, among other factors.  
I invite WTO Members and development partners to implement the United Nations resolutions on 
the smooth transition strategy for graduated countries, including the need to provide a long, uniform 
transition period to assist these graduated countrie s in adapting to the multilateral trading system . 
In this regard, the adoption of the draft decision proposed by the LDCs will be a highly valuable 
outcome of MC12.  
My delegation is of the view that the plurilateral initiatives for joint development are im portant and 
act as levers for economic and social development.  
These initiatives, however, must not overshadow the major concerns of developing countries and 
LDCs regarding outstanding Doha Development Agenda issues and must not be conducted in such 
a way that they ignore the differences in the levels of preparation and development of WTO Members . 
Indeed, one of the strengths of our Organization is its ability to move forward at a harmonious pace, 
taking into account the differences, needs and aspirations o f its Members.  
We take this opportunity to acknowledge, once again, the work carried out in support of LDCs under 
the Enhanced Integrated Framework programme, which has helped eligible countries to better 
integrate trade into their national development str ategies, which, in turn, has helped them to build 
their production and export capacities in recognized growth sectors.  
I urge bilateral and multilateral partners to further support this mechanism.  
I would like to conclude by reaffirming Senegal's commitmen t to the multilateral trading system and 
by underlining the importance of consolidating the foundations of our Organization, as stipulated in 
the Marrakesh Declaration and other WTO documents.  WT/MIN(22)/ST/90  
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  In order to maintain this momentum and open up new opportunitie s, my wish is that the decisions 
we take here reflect the principles of transparency, fairness and inclusiveness . This is what will 
ensure the success of CM12.  
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