WT/MIN(22)/ST/4  
12 June 2022  
(22-4440) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12-15 June  2022 Original: French  
 
STATEMENT BY FEDERAL COUNCILLOR MR GUY PARMELIN  
HEAD OF THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS,  
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH  
SWITZERLAND  
I am very pleased that the WTO is holding its Twelfth Ministerial Conference in Geneva. On behalf 
of the Federal Council, I would like to welcome you to Switzerland, the host country of the WTO, 
and I would like to extend a particularly warm greeting to those of you who have made the journey 
to the banks of Lake Geneva.  
 
We are mindful, Chair, that this conference should originally have been held in Nur -Sultan, the 
capital city of your country. The health risks of the last two years mean that we have had to 
reschedule this conference twice. Of course, I understand that the decision to meet here, in Geneva,  
must have been a difficult one to take for you and your country. However, it demonstrates your 
pragmatism and leadership, and I welcome that decision on behalf of all my colleagues.  
 
I would also like to wish Kazakhstan and the WTO a highly successful Mi nisterial Conference that 
responds to the challenges of the world today.  
 
We are all aware of the importance of these challenges. I am thinking here in particular of the war 
that is once again raging on the European continent.  
 
The suffering of the Ukrain ian people is immense. This military aggression is a serious violation of 
international law. Switzerland condemns it in the strongest terms and calls on Russia to withdraw 
its troops from Ukrainian territory without delay.  
 
The WTO is an institution that has been created to ensure peace and the well -being of peoples 
through sustainable economic development. It is based on international law and ensures fair and 
transparent world trade.  
 
More than ever, we must strive to strengthen this system based on common rules. This order is dear 
to us, because the well -being of our citizens and our societies depends on it.  
 
First and foremost, we must restore peace. But whether it is the food crisis, the climate crisis, 
concerns related to health, biodiversity or e ven prosperity, there is no shortage of challenges.  
 
Solutions must be sought – and above all found – as a matter of urgency. The effectiveness of those 
solutions will depend on the joint efforts of the countries called upon to propose them.  
 
The WTO is o ne of the institutions that allows common solutions and rules to be considered. 
Moreover, its achievements are real and tangible, because international trade is an engine for 
growth, innovation and human development.  
 
Over the last 25 years, global trade f lows have continued to increase. It should be borne in mind, 
however, that crises have created a lot of volatility and that trade growth has slowed in the last 
decade. That being said, in absolute terms, trade has grown steadily and wealth has continued to  
be generated. This trend has helped to lift millions of people out of poverty.  
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  It is the WTO's rules that largely ensure that international markets are open. This establishes the 
conditions that allow our citizens and businesses to grow. It also allows S tates to settle their disputes 
peacefully.  
 
It will come as no surprise to you when I say that the WTO is going through a difficult time, for three 
main reasons:  
 
• We are struggling to find new liberalization agreements.  
• The dispute settlement system i s gridlocked.  
• International trade sits ill at ease with efforts to combat climate change.  
 
This leads me to say that we need to update the WTO's rules in order to address the formidable 
challenges of our time.  
 
This Ministerial Conference is therefore a pivotal moment, a moment when we need to seek common 
solutions and initiate suitable processes to find them.  
 
This exercise is all the more difficult as there are numerous actors around the table; 164, to be 
precise. Multilateralism is both the best and the toughest route. International tensions are at their 
apogee. I urge you to keep a cool head and to weigh the importance of the moment for international 
cooperation.  
 
The coming week will be marked by intense and sometimes frustrating discussions. Bear in mind 
that we have a duty not to fail. We, the owners and custodians of this Organization, must protect, 
tend to and nurture it, for the well -being of our citizens and our planet.  
 
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