WT/GC/W/825  
 
23 July 2021  
(21-5797) Page: 1/2 
General Council  Original: English  
 
 
STRENGTHENING  THE MULTILATERAL CHARACTER OF THE WTO  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICA N GROUP  
The following communication, dated 23 July 2021 , is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Mauritius  on behalf of the Africa n Group.  
 
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1. The COVID -19 pandemic crisis has underlined the need for greater multilateral cooperation 
and global solidarity, including enhancing the global trading system and its ability to promote 
resilience, preparedness and effective response to common challenges.  
2. COVID -19 has triggered a humanitarian and socio -economic crisis that is already devastating 
societies and reversing vital gains made in h uman development and sustainable development goals.  
In addition, the COVID -19 pandemic has accentuated inequalities in several areas and exposed the 
strategic vulnerabilities of developing countries that are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. 
Above all, it has a significant impact on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary people, particularly the 
poor and the most vulnerable, who struggle to make a living in an already highly unequal world.  
3. The economic impact of the COVID -19 shock in Africa is sev ere. Although r eal GDP in Africa 
is projected to grow by 3.4 per  cent in 2021, this is on the back of a  contracti on of 2.1 per  cent in 
2020. The outlook is, however, subject to great uncertainty from both external and domestic risks. 
The magnitude and uneq ual nature of the current crisis have resulted in an enormous setback to 
recent development gains, with impacts on unemployment, poverty and inequality. It has also 
exacerbated public debt vulnerabilities, which are high and continue to rise in many countr ies. 
Vulnerable groups, such as the poor, informal sector workers, women and youth, suffered 
disproportionately from reduced opportunities and unequal access to social safety nets. This situation 
could push up to 40 million people into extreme poverty, era sing at least five years of progress in 
fighting poverty. COVID -19 vaccine inequity is resulting in a two -track economic recovery process  
with a disproportionate impact on Africa given the region 's limited policy space.  Forging the path 
towards a stronger and sustained recovery will require comprehensive and targeted policy actions 
and multilateral support.  
4. In establishing the WTO, the objective of Members was to create an integrated multilateral 
trading system. The credibility and continued relevance of th e multilateral trading system is 
premised on mutual benefit from the system, as perceived by its Members, mutual trust and 
responsiveness to core challenges facing humanity.  
5. The WTO was established as a forum concerning multilateral trade relations in matt ers dealt 
with under the agreements in the Annexes to the Marrakesh Agreement. The WTO may also provide 
a forum for further negotiations among its Members concerning their multilateral trade relations, 
and a framework for the implementation of the results of such negotiations, as may be decided by 
the Ministerial Conference.  
6. The preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO recognizes that international 
trade is not an end in itself, but a means towards 'raising standards of living and ensuring f ull 
employment'. More importantly, it recognizes that 'there is a need for positive efforts designed to 
ensure that developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secure a share 
in the growth in international trade commensurate with t he needs of their economic development.  WT/GC/W/825  
 
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  7. In order to uphold the founding objectives of the WTO:  
a. The multilateral character of the WTO must be safeguarded.  
b. Members must strengthen multilateral cooperation, to address common challenges and 
the needs and interests of developing countries. The multilateral trading system must 
address the current inequity that still prevails in the trading system.  
c. The core principles of the Marrakesh Agreement must be preserved, including special and 
differential treatment.  All Members  must have an equal say in decision -making and the 
tradition of decision -making by consensus must be upheld.  
d. The rules -based system must be strengthened for all to benefit, while providing sufficient 
flexibilities for developing countries to ef fectively integrate into global trade.  
e. Negotiated outcomes must be balanced, fair and result in equitable benefits, taking due 
regard to the special needs of developing  Members.  
f. Members to share common but differentiated responsibilities in a multilateral system built 
to advance global public goods and protect the global commons.  
g. The two -tier dispute settlement system is a fundamental aspect of the rules -based 
multilateral trading system. It must be urgently restored.  
h. The multilateral trading system is a collective responsibility and all WTO members have a 
stake in it. The principles of non -discrimination, predictability, transparency, and, most 
importantly, the commitment to development, must continue to underpin the m ultilateral 
trading system.  
 
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