WT/MIN(24)/ST/ 83 
26 February 2024  
(24-1586) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original:  Spanish   
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR HÉCTOR MARROQUÍN  
DEPUTY MINISTER OF ECONOM IC AFFAIRS  
GUATEMALA  
I am grateful for the opportunity to address you, as representative of Guatemala and Head of 
Delegation, on the occasion of th is Thirteenth Ministerial Conference, where I should like to share 
some messages that are, in our view, of relevance  right now . 
 
I should like to start by sharing the aim of President Bernardo Arévalo's administration, which is to 
build a socially just State for the common good. We firmly believe  that the rules - and principles -
based  multilateral trading system is essential for achiev ing this and other aims through the creation 
of economic opportunities that will help us to eliminate social inequality in Guate mala.  
 
Moreover, we recognize that trade is a vital tool for the development of our nations, and in an ever  
more complex global context, we must strengthen the WTO and develop its rules to address the 
challenges we face around the world. International coop eration  and a multidisciplinary approach are 
therefore needed to find practical and sustainable solutions  to the current  challenges  in global trade.  
 
In Guatemala, we welcome WTO reform, which entails redefining the Organization's objectives to 
make it mor e dynamic and adapting  it to current global challenges for the benefit of all its Members.  
 
In this regard, we share the view that the deliberative function of the WTO must be improved  and 
its working methods updated. Only through an agile, efficient and committed Organization can we 
deliver tangible outcomes on issues that require our urgent att ention.  
 
We therefore encourage the modernization of the WTO, which entails updating issues that are a 
priority for developing countries, including access to medical technologies and supply chain 
resilience. These topics must be put on the Organization's a genda, without neglecting the WTO's 
important work on safeguarding  free trade from discrimination and protectionism. We recognize that 
trade is an essential tool for development and, in the  current climate , for the transition to an 
environmentally friendly , sustainable and financially viable economy. We thus see important 
synergies between the role of the WTO and our development objectives.  
 
In addition, we  highlight the importance of agricultural trade to Guatemala, which has traditionally 
had significant export interests. We are seeking fairer, more equitable international trade in this 
sector, so that we can all compete on a level playing field.  
 
We have witnessed the potential of trade in services to improve economic performance and provide 
Guatemalans with a wide range of opportunities for diversification and job creation. Tourism is a 
source of economic development for Guatemala, a megadiverse country rich in culture and centuries -
old traditions.  
 
Furthermore, we  express our commitment  to the sustainability of marine resources through the 
Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, which we regard as a legacy from the WTO to future generations. 
We are working hard to ratify this Agreement in accordance with  internal legal procedures.  
 
For Guatemala, t he dispute settlement system is essential, as it is the only available recourse for us 
to exercise our rights as a small developing economy dependent on export markets.  
 WT/MIN(24)/ST/ 83 
 
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  Since the suspension of Appellate Body proceedings, Guatemala has suffered the adverse  effects of 
an inoperative dispute settlement system. Guatemala is therefore proud to be an active participant 
in the informal discussions on dispute settlement, in order to facilitate the dispute settlement 
process.  
 
Lastly , we seek to narrow the digital divide by encouraging science, technology, education, training , 
and the sustainable and inclusive transformation of production . We see the WTO as a vital forum for 
promoting e -commerce, intellectual property and technology transfer. We support the moratori um 
on e-commerce to enable developing and least developed countries to benefit from it s advantages.  
 
In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to the WTO and the building of a multilateral system 
that is responsive to the needs of all its Members, thereby promoting fair, equitable and sustainable 
trade.  
 
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