WT/MIN(22)/ST/80  
12 June 2022 
(22-4517) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. TIPU MUNSHI, MP  
MINISTER FOR COMMERCE  
BANGLADESH  
It is my great honour to attend the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in this beautiful city Geneva. 
I take this opportunity to thank the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Kazakhstan 
for jointly organizing the MC12 which is long pending since 2019.  
 
The world is passing through an extra ordinary time. The pandemic has reversed many of our 
hard-earned achievements adding more obstacles to our inherited vulnerabilities. The long - and 
medium -term impact of the pandemic on the economies of the LDCs are yet to be assessed fully. 
The recent food and fuel crises stemming from geopolitical situations has put us in more uncertainty.  
Our recoveries therefore should be coupled with re -enforced national efforts and policy adjustment 
along with reinvigorated supports from our development partners. WTO also has substantive role to 
play.  
 
We value WTO 's cont ribution in advancing the multilateral trading system. Balanced rules and trade 
liberalization are key, especially in securing WTO 's pre-eminent role in global trade and ensuring 
equitable benefits to all its members, especially the LDCs.  
 
The pandemic has  toll us a lot. Recovery from the hardship in the economies need active support 
from the world community. WTO has a responsibility to address our difficulties. Food crisis along 
with economic downturns are imminent. Small and vulnerable economies are suffe ring the most. We 
urge members not to impose export restrictions on products which are essential for our survival, 
particularly relevant for our food security, public health and long -term development goals in the 
LDCs.   
 
The pandemic has ravaged the world during last two and a half year. Affordable, equitable and timely 
access to vaccine, therapeutics and relevant medical  equipment was a huge crisis all over the world. 
WTO had a role to play. This is painful to note that to respond to the pandemic WTO could  not deliver 
any result till date. Some of us could not prioritize the human needs over the profit maximization. I 
hope during the upcoming food crisis and economic recession WTO shall play its role to ensure 
certainty and predictability.  
 
Despite their ch allenges, currently 16 LDCs are on the graduation track of which Bangladesh is one 
of them. Additional 10 countries have qualified in one threshold. Graduation overnight will not 
remove our inherited vulnerability. However, graduation is recognition of eff orts and a step forward 
towards socio -economic development. Every LDC will eventually graduate. Therefore, a system must 
exist in the WTO to provide future support for a few more years to all LDCs after their graduation. 
LDCs together capture a very tiny b it of the world trade and the affluent economies have very little 
to be worried about a little more increase in trade among the LDCs which may support millions of 
poorer communities.  
 
We support multilateral negotiations and agreement on fisheries subsidies disciplines that prohibit 
certain forms of fisheries subsidies contributing to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) 
and overfishing and overcapacity. But at the same time it is to be noted that LDCs are not the major 
contributor to ocean health degradation. They have little capacity to subsidies for fishing. But a huge 
number of resource poor people are involved in fishery sector in the LDCs for their livelihood.  So 
effective and operational Special and Differential treatme nt are needed for the LDCs to sustain the WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 80 
 
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  livelihood of poor people in the LDCs. Exemptions and S&DT provisions for the LDCs, including for 
those graduating out of this category in future, must form an integral part of the agreement.   
 
We welcome any const ructive reform initiatives in the multilateral trading system. Any reform in the 
Agreement on Agriculture should ensure that the LDCs are protected with special and differential 
treatment including ensuring the food security and development issues. The ove rall WTO Reform 
must reaffirm the founding principle of the WTO and must be inclusive and transparent and takes 
account of every Member 's concerns.  
 
The Appellate Body is a critical arm of the WTO system, without which the dispute settlement 
mechanism wil l remain week. The Appellate Body should be expeditiously reconstituted for its proper 
functioning. Any necessary reforms should be done immediately keeping the system functioning.  
 
Bangladesh also values the positive impact of the technical cooperation and the capacity building 
programmes of the Aid for Trade initiatives and hopes that such programmes will continue to help 
the developing countries including the LDCs integrate into mu ltilateral trading system.  
 
Unity is our greatest strength. I urge colleagues to continue our collective works in the spirit of 
solidarity to overcome our challenges and let the world feel that WTO is still relevant and it can 
meaningfully deliver as the key driver of trade and development.  
 
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