JOB/GC/283  
 
23 Novem ber 2021  
(21-8815) Page: 1/3 
General Council  Original: English  
 
AGENDA ITEM 2 : IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES 
OUTCOMES – STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR  
MONDAY , 22 NOVEMBER  2021 
1.1.  This item remains on the agenda so that the General Council can continue to follow up, in a 
horizontal and transparent manner, on the Ministerial decisions adopted in Bali, Nairobi and Buenos 
Aires.  
1.2.  My report today is based on the information provided by the Chairs of the regular bodies on 
the implementation work taking place further to Ministerial mandates in their respective areas. For 
some issues, including the Work Programme on Small Economies, the Work Programme on E lectronic 
Commerce, Moratorium on TRIPS Non -Violation and Situation Complaints, TRQ Administration, we 
have separate items later in the agenda – and we will hear the relevant developments at that point.  
1.3.  On the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, I will report on my consultations under 
Item 8. With respect to the work in this area carried out by the respective bodies, the discussions 
are well r eflected in the relevant Annual Reports which we will take up under Item 20.  
1.4.  In the area of Agriculture, with respect to the implementation of the Nairobi Decision on Export 
Competition, since my last report in October, Brazil submitted its draft modified  schedule 
incorporating the Nairobi Decision. With this, out of the 16 Members with export subsidy reduction 
commitments at the time of the Nairobi Decision, 15 Members have circulated their draft schedules 
and 12 are already certified.  
1.5.  Moving now the Serv ices Waiver for LDCs, at the October meeting of the Services Council, the 
LDC Group referred to the Declaration adopted by the LDC Trade Ministers outlining their priorities 
for MC12. Amongst the areas of special interest were a number of elements related to the LDC 
Services Waiver, which are aimed at improving the implementation of relevant Decisions and the 
preferences in favour of LDC services and service suppliers notified by Members to date.  
1.6.  On Preferential Rules of Origin for LDCs, let me draw your at tention to the annual report of the 
Committee on Rules of Origin to the General Council in G/RO/94, which contains details about recent 
developments in preferential rules of origin and the work of the Committee on Rules of Origin in this 
area. 
1.7.  In addition,  I should note that the LDC Group has also proposed that Members negotiate and 
adopt language to be inserted in the MC12 outcome document concerning the work of the Committee 
on Rules of Origin in this area (reflected in G/RO/W/210). We will hear the relev ant developments 
on the status of these discussions under Item 10.  
1.8.  Regarding Duty -Free Quota -Free Market Access for LDCs, at its meeting held earlier this month, 
the Committee on Trade and Development undertook its annual review of the steps taken to provi de 
DFQF market access to LDCs – as mandated by the relevant Bali Decision. The annual review 
provided the opportunity for some Members to share information on their DFQF schemes for LDCs.  
1.9.  The situation in the Monitoring Mechanism on Special and Differentia l treatment remains the 
same. At the meeting of the Monitoring Mechanism held earlier this month, the CTD Chair once again 
urged Members to come to a common understanding on how to move forward with the Mechanism. 
The Chair will be continuing to work with Members in informal settings to explore what could be 
done to make the Mechanism operational.  JOB/GC/283  
 
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  1.10.   Regarding Aid -for-Trade, at the October CTD Aid for Trade session, Members reviewed the 
implementation of the Aid -for-Trade Work Programme. They also agreed to la unch the 2022 
Monitoring and Evaluation exercise. The self -assessment monitoring questionnaires are now ready 
for online completion on the WTO website, and the deadline for submission of the completed formats 
is 31 December. Responses to the monitoring exe rcise are key inputs for next year's Global Review 
that will focus on "Empowering Connected Sustainable Trade". I understand that the DG will shortly 
say a few words on the Global Review. (See Annex)  
1.11.   And finally, on Trade Facilitation, the Committee contin ues its work on the four -year review 
of the Agreement. The rate of implementation commitments to date stands at just over 70% for the 
entire Membership – and the rate of ratification remains at 94%, with 9 Members still to ratify.  
1.12.   This concludes my report.   
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  ANNEX  
STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL  ON 
THE GLOBAL REVIEW OF AID-FOR-TRADE  
To use trade to better meet the needs of their people, developing countries need supply -side support, 
in terms of infrastructure but equally at the enterprise level. This is critical for our endeavours to 
ensure that the benefits of the multilateral tradin g system flow to all Members, especially the 
weakest and most vulnerable.  
 
The Stocktaking Event on Aid -for-Trade this past March was one of my first high -level events after 
taking over as Director -General.  It was a very successful event with Heads of othe r international 
organizations fully participating – and was useful in gauging the depth of the pandemic's impact on 
Members' trade and development prospects.  
 
It also gave impetus to our actions to support the increased production and equitable roll -out o f 
COVID -19 vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.  Unequal access to these COVID -19 
countermeasures continues to weigh on the pace of economic recovery, particularly amongst our 
lowest income Members.  
 
The pandemic has sharply accelerated the shift towards digital trade and e -commerce. The Global 
Review of Aid -for-Trade planned for July 2022 reflects this, with its theme of "Empowering connected 
sustainable trade."  
 
We have to help developing countries prepare for new ways of working and trading.  And we have 
to ensure that women -owned businesses and MSMEs can take advantage of new commercial 
opportunities, both online and offline, because this is critical for making the gains from trade more 
socially in clusive.  
 
Aid-for-Trade must increasingly reflect the green transition which is gathering momentum. The 
Glasgow Climate Summit has clearly signalled the direction of travel for the global economy. And 
Aid-for-Trade should support our poorer Members to hav e a just transition even as the global 
economy de -carbonizes.  
 
The ongoing Aid -for-Trade Monitoring and Evaluation exercise forms an essential component of the 
Global Review. I strongly urge you to participate in this survey . Your replies to the monitoring  
exercise will form an essential input for next year's Global Review . 
 
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