WT/MIN(22)/ST/100  
12 June 2022  
(22-4538) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR SOULEYMANE DIARRASSOUBA  
MINISTER OF TRADE, INDUSTRY  
AND SME PROMOTION  
CÔTE D'IVOIRE  
The delegation of Côte d'Ivoire welcomes the holding of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and is pleased that the session  is taking place in person, thus 
adding to the WTO's credibility and influence.  
 
The work of the  Twelfth Ministerial Conference is being carried out  in an unusual global environment , 
characterized by the COVID -19 pandemic, whose multisectoral and harmful effects , which still linger 
on, ha ve had a lasting impact on the health of our economies and the lives of  our population s.  
 
Unfortunately, the Organization responsible for international trade, the WTO, has failed to make 
progress for two decades in negotiations on the main thematic areas  of the Doha Development 
Agenda (DDA) , namely,  agriculture, fish eries subsidies, non -agricultural market access, special and 
differential treatment (S&D) and cotton.  
 
In this context, the MC12 session offers Members an excellent opportunity to find suitable solutions 
to the mutual satisfaction of all.  
 
To this end, Côte d'Ivoire urges Member States to be pragmatic and to engage constructively in 
seeking consensus -based and development -oriented  solutions, while eschewing polariz ing positions.  
 
Côte d'Ivoire, following  these guidelines, notes that : 
 
Agriculture remains a priority for our country . As such, the elimination of domestic support in 
order to correct distortions and establish fair and mutually beneficial trade in agricultural products 
should be the long -term objective, as required by the rel evant mandate. In the short term, the 
adoption during this se ssion of a detailed work programme covering topics of major importance to 
LDCs and developing countries is more than necessary, with a view to finding practical solutions 
at MC13.  
 
Cotton , whose trade is vital to LDCs and all African producing countries, deserves an appropriate 
solution through the total elimination  of harmful subsidies. Côte d'Ivoire thus reaffirms  its support 
for the C4 proposal and the Hong Kong Decision of 2005 to address cott on ambitiously, expeditiously, 
and specifically.  
 
Regarding  fisheries , the outcome of current negotiations must be in accordance with the mandate , 
which requires the elimination of subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing and the 
establish ment of S&D provisions for developing countries. In this respect, Côte d'Ivoire welcomes 
the establishment of a funding mechanism provided for in the Chair's draft text and is grateful to 
the Director -General for setting it in motion.  
 
Work on WTO reform  must be transparent, open, inclusive and encompass all subjects, without 
restriction, of systemic or economic interest and with a development focus.  
 
To this end, consideration must be given to the matter of commodities on which the economies of 
most Member  States depend.  WT/MIN(22)/100  
- 2 - 
  Regarding the moratorium on electronic transmissions  under the 1998 work programme , 
Côte d'Ivoire supports the draft Decision , of which  it is a c o-sponsor, extending the moratorium on 
electronic commerce until the Thirteenth  Ministerial Conference. It encourages Members to 
reactivate the work programme on electronic commerce to bridge the widening digital divide 
between developed and low -capacity countries.  
 
Concerning the WTO's response to COVID -19, my delegation reaffirms i ts support for the draft 
Decision on the WTO's response to the pandemic and for the adoption of a TRIPS waiver agreement, 
which will help to integrate enterprises into global value chains, build resilience, and provide a 
predictable response to future cris es and pandemics.  
 
In addition, the COVID -19 pandemic has further hampered access to trade finance in developing 
countries and LDCs, particularly for their MSMEs, which contribute significantly , especially in 
developing countries and LDCs, to the creation of jobs and economic wealth.  
 
Thus, it is necessary to continue using document  WT/WGTDF/W/98 /Rev.1 , submitted  
by Côte d'Ivoire , that facilitated the holding of a national workshop on trade financ e, 
on 23-25 May 2022 in Grand -Bassam in Côte d'Ivoire, carried out  by the WTO Secretariat and the 
International Finance Corporation (IFC) in cooperation and collaboration with the Ivorian 
Government . 
 
To this end, it would like to express its appreciation and renewed thanks to the WTO Director -General 
and IFC Director -General for their videoconference message on that occasion.  
 
SPS matters  remain a concern for Côte d'Ivoire, owing to  the structure of its economy, where  
agricultural and agro -industrial products take up the largest share . It thus urges Members to adopt 
the draft Decision entitled , "Responding to Modern SPS Challenges ", of which it is a co -sponsor.  
 
Concerning special and differential treatment (S&D) measu res, which are ingrained in WTO 
agreements, the decision taken at this MC12 and paragraph 44 of the Doha Declaration will require 
the adoption of decisions that take into account development positions, including those expressed 
by the African Group and the  G90. 
 
Lastly, the Ivorian delegation associates itself with the statements made by the African Group, the 
ACP Group, the C4, the G33 and the WAEMU informal group and those of the initiatives on e lectronic 
commerce, micro, small and medium -sized enterprise s (MSMEs) and women's empowerment.  
 
Côte d'Ivoire reaffirms its commitment to the WTO as the apex body of the rules -based, 
non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system.  
 
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