WT/MIN(22)/ST/ 94 
12 June 2022 
(22-4532) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY HON. LEATINUU WAYNE SOOIALO  
MINISTER FOR TRADE NEGOTIATIONS  
SAMOA 
Thank you to the Government of Switzerland for welcoming us to Geneva; and the generous 
hospitality extended to our delegation. It is our hope that as we converge in this beautiful city in the 
coming days, we would likewise come to agree on shared solution s to address our areas of mutual 
concern and interests.  
 
Chair, it is also a great honour for me to announce that Samoa has formally established its first 
Permanent Mission in Geneva, a milestone achievement for our country since acceding to the WTO 
in 2012. We thank the Swiss government for their support in enabling Samoa' s permanent presence 
in Geneva.  
 
I commend you, Chair and the Director General, for your tireless efforts, commitment, and 
dedication to pursue a successful and meaningful outcome for t his Ministerial Conference that is 
taking place against the backdrop of the COVID -19 pandemic.   
 
At the outset, Samoa aligns itself to the statements by the Pacific Group, the ACP Ministerial 
Declaration, and the work of the Group of Small & Vulnerable Eco nomies.  
 
Chair, Samoa reaffirms the centrality and indispensable function of the Multilateral Trading System 
and the role of the WTO as the custodian of the global trade rules. The trade rules that are negotiated 
by its 164 members. But not all members ar e at the same level of development. We must be genuine 
in our intentions to support development through a targeted special and differential  approach for 
developing countries, especially small island developing economies. We call on the WTO members 
to recog nize the needs and vulnerabilities of SIDS when negotiating trade rules.  We cannot continue 
to promote trade as a developmental tool if the rules of the multilateral trading system do not 
recognise our perpetual vulnerability.  
 
Chair, Samoa values our Blu e Pacific family narrative to strengthen the collective voice of the Pacific, 
on issues that are vital to our development as a country, and as a region. We know that enabling 
greater Blue Pacific connectivity will promote intra -regional trade, and links to  global trade; and will 
allow for greater mobility of our people to access employment around the region. There is collective 
commitment to ensure the security and protection  of our shared ocean geography, people, 
resources and ecosystems therein, from unsu stainable exploitation and illegal activities, including 
IUU fishing, transnational crime, scourges of nuclear weapons and pollution, violent conflict and 
human rights abuses, and from impacts of climate change and disasters.  
 
Chair, Fisheries is a vital element of our wellbeing, livelihoods, food security, resilience, and the 
sustainable development of our economy. Twenty years to negotiate rules to discipline harmful 
fisheries subsidies is far too long. As stewards of our ocea n resources, a Fisheries Subsidies 
Agreement  should support and promote, and not harm, our efforts in the management and 
sustainable development of our fishing industries in the years to come.  
 
Chair, Agriculture  also remains a prominent part of Samoa' s development agenda for improving 
livelihoods, ensuring food security and good nutrition, employment and income, and contributing to 
the growth of our overall economy. We support the exemption of World Food Programme purchases 
from export restrictions; as wel l, a standalone declaration on food security that recognizes the WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 94 
 
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  specific needs of developing countries that are highly dependent on imports, and the most vulnerable 
to the current food crisis and rising food prices.  
 
Chair, the pandemic has affected us a ll, on a global scale. The loss of lives, crippled industries and 
restricted cross -border mobility. Samoa supports that the WTO response to COVID -19 should build 
resilience, include sensible trade measures and intellectual property solutions in the form of  a TRIPS 
waiver. The WTO response to COVID should enable small import -dependent developing members to 
have access to affordable vaccines, essential medical products and technology needed to combat 
the pandemic. No one is safe until everyone is.  
 
Chair, Sam oa strongly supports a decision to launch work on WTO reforms  under the General 
Council; as well, support having enhanced access to a revised dispute settlement system.  
 
In closing, Chair, Samoa stands ready to listen and support proposals that will stren gthen the 
multilateral trading system and promote sustainable development. We support rules that recognize 
the different levels of development of our economies, abilities and aspirations; in the context of a 
world that continues to evolve and recovering fr om the pandemic. We remain optimistic that the 
12th Ministerial Conference will deliver positive results that have been anticipated for years.  
 
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