WT/MIN(24)/ST/43  
26 February  2024 
(24-1608) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY MR YURY GORELIK  
DIRECTOR -GENERAL, FOREIGN ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT,  
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS  
BELARUS  
(Speaking as an Observer)  
On behalf of the Delegation of the Republic of Belarus I would like to commend the joint tireless 
efforts of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, WTO Secretariat and Member States to make 
this Ministerial a reality. The hosting of such significant large -scale events, like this Ministerial and 
COP28 held in Dubai at the end of last year, confirms once again the  global authority of the United 
Arab Emirates.   
Today the WTO stands at a pivotal and critical juncture. Our world is gradually  turning into a world 
of sanctions, which are decisive in international economic relations. Bilateral sanctions are becoming 
global challenges.   
For instance, sanctions against Belarusian potash fertilizers, transit transport impediments which 
drastically complicate international logistics and freight mean a shortage of potash fertilizers on the 
international market which can develo p into large -scale famine in the least developed countries, as 
confirmed by studies of such international organizations, as the UN, FAO, WTO, and the World Bank.   
So, this is just an example, how unilateral decisions with no legal grounds have caused globa l 
economic turbulence.  
No doubts that these challenges could be addressed only through our cooperative efforts. We all 
need a recognized international platform where countries could discuss the current and future 
international trade issues without politic al bias. I am convinced that the WTO has everything to 
become such a platform.   
At MC12, the Members reaffirmed loud and clear the WTO 's relevance and ability to adapt to the 
new challenges. Belarus fully supports such a view. But in our opinion, paving th e way to a new 
comprehensive consensus, the WTO should avoid politicization in the first place.   
Speaking of a new reality, one of the most important issue on the WTO agenda is accessions.  
I am glad to join other delegations in congratulating Comoros and Timor -Leste as the newest WTO 
Members. These accessions mark an end of a lengthy 8 -year break without accessions.   
Nevertheless, the WTO should not be lulled into a false sense of comfort. The WTO accession process 
now, regrettably, suffers from many drawb acks. It 's too lengthy, too complicated, prone to losing 
momentum and progress. It 's being used in bad faith to exert political pressure on acceding states.   
Belarus ' accession process is a good real -life example.  
Our accession process has been already dr agged on for more than 30 years. From 2016 to 2019 
Belarus made outstanding progress towards the WTO accession recognized by all WTO Members. WT/MIN(24)/ST/43  
 
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  Actually, my country was in the strategic focus of the WTO Secretariat with a goal to join the WTO 
by MC12. Then i t all abruptly came to a halt, but neither for trade -related reasons, nor because of 
any dramatic changes in our national economic policy. The reason was a purely political decision not 
to let Belarus into the WTO.   
And today the Organization has the shame ful practice when Belarusian officials stopped being 
selected for participation in WTO -funded in -person training programs, when the WTO stopped 
organizing national workshops for Belarus.   
It is our deep conviction that the trend, when politics is dominant over the economy, is a threat to 
the very essence of the WTO and is contrary to the provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement. If the 
WTO aims to be inclusive and effective, it simply should not take so long to join it and the accession 
process should not be b ased on a "fit/unfit " political approach.   
The ongoing WTO Reform provides a valuable opportunity to review the accession procedures by 
their streamlining, facilitating and ensuring a non -discriminatory approach. We don 't expect 
immediate results, but it is very important to launch discussions on this issue right now.   
In closing, I would like to conclude my statement by wishing the WTO Members and Observers a 
successful Ministerial with tangible outcomes aimed at better equipping the Organization to addre ss 
the pressing challenges.   
 
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