WT/MIN(22)/ST/104  
12 June 2022 
(22-4544) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR MOHAMED AL -ASHWAL  
MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND TRADE  
YEMEN 
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Yemen, I would like to extend my sincere 
appreciation to the Swiss authorities and the Organizing Committee for the excellent arrangements 
and hospitality on the occasion of holding this long overdue WTO Ministerial Conference. Similarly, 
I would like to congratulate H.E. Mr. Timur SULEIMENOV, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the President 
of the Republi c of Kazakhstan, for his election as Chairman of MC12, as well as his Hon orable 
Deputies whom I believe would lead this conference to a successful outcome. Likewise, I would like 
to commend the Director -General, the WTO Secretariat, and the General Council  Chairman for their 
continued efforts and dedication throughout the preparation process that led to the materialization 
of this assembly as planned.  
At the outset, I would like to associate with both the LDCs Ministerial Declaration of 27 October and 
the Arab Trade Ministers Communique of 31 October 2021, and their respective updates. Without 
repetition, both pronouncements have detailed specific priorities for members of the two groups, 
including Yemen. Therefore, we are quite keen to see tangible outcome s on those topics of high 
importance. One highlighted concern to both Arab and LDC groups is the have repeatedly reiterated 
their calls for concluding certain ongoing specific issues, including accessions to WTO, which 
represent the largest number of count ries outside the international organization. Two Arab/LDC 
countries, namely Comoros and The Sudan, are quite near to the finishing line. Yemen fully supports 
concluding the two accessions as well as other Arab and LDC accessions. They deserve the attention  
of WTO members in order to smooth such path in line with their respective trade, financial and 
development needs.   
MC12 comes at a crucial juncture, as the world is still witnessing severe calamity that was only 
occurred almost 100 hundred years ago. Covi d-19 pandemic has hit the whole world hard causing 
dreadful loss of life and human suffering. The hope has always been and still calls for a dynamic 
international trade contribution to assist in addressing the consequences of this pandemic. 
Consequently, i t is apparent that MC12 has to deliver concrete results on WTO Response to the 
Pandemic through TRIPS Waiver. Likewise, it is equally expected to deliver concrete outcome on 
Food Crisis, Fisheries Subsidies, Agriculture Reform, as well as WTO Reform, if WT O is truly to 
contribute in overcoming world pending crises. Concluding negotiations on such issues would deliver 
the needed true contribution to meet Covid -19 pandemic challenge, assist world economic recovery 
and demonstrate the benefits of the multilate ral trading system, especially to Yemen and other 
fragile and conflict -affected nations.   
Allow me, now, to briefly introduce my country 's case as an unfortunate example of an LDC in fragile 
context, due to the ongoing conflict since 21 September 2014 when  an armed militia -led group, 
known as Al Huthies, staged a coup within few days less than 3 months from Yemen 's accession to 
WTO on 26 June 2014. As a result of this ominous coup, Yemen faces many chronic structural 
challenges and imbalances at various hum anitarian, economic, and social levels. Enormous problems 
have been aggravated in an unprecedented manner in the last seven years, as Huthies has turned 
their coup to a full -fledged war on the Yemeni people and neighboring countries. Basic services have 
worsened and large parts of the infrastructure have been destroyed, including health and educational 
facilities as well as roads and many other facilities. Development, Economic and social conditions 
were equally deteriorated. This was coupled with severe cr ises in food, water and oil derivatives ' WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 104 
 
- 2 - 
 
  supplies. The ongoing conflict in the Black Sea, which we sincerely call for immediate resolution, has 
worsened food availability  as Yemen is dependent on basic staple food imports, including wheat, 
flour, sugar and  rice. The World Food Programme has estimated the number of Yemenis who do not 
have enough food to eat as high as 20 million, with more than 17 million suffering from food 
insecurity.  
Due to Huthies ' coup and war, Yemen economy has eroded and witnessed su ccessive crises during 
the last seven years, coupled with adversely affected  fundamentals of development and human 
well-being. All are of high priority for the internationally recognized legitimate government, including 
mending the damaged societal and soc ial fabric that require continuous work on parallel and multiple 
approaches.  Yemen economy has witnessed sharp decline and interruption of the normal flow of 
trade, which has led to excessive deterioration in most economic and development indicators. 
Accor ding to the United Nations, the case of Yemen has been described as being "the worst 
humanitarian crisis in the world ". Sadly, Huthies militia does not care much for the suffering of the 
people of Yemen. In March 2020, the government prepared a "Plan of Pr iorities for Reconstruction 
and Economic Recovery ", in order to restore basic services, stability, and economic recovery. A 
short-term plan version for immediate priorities were included in the first two -year phase. The plan 
addresses the requirements of t he current unstable fragile stage, respond to the basic needs of the 
people 's livelihood and bring back hope for the future. In the meantime, the government focusing 
on ending Huthis aggression, emergence from the cycle of conflict, restoring peace, public  
institutions, economic, social, political and cultural normality.  
On the bright side, on 7th April, a Presidential Leadership Council presided by H.E. Dr. Rashad 
AL-ALIMI, was designated to lead the country in completing the transitional process of transferring  
powers to a new elected leadership. Reducing the suffering of the population through humanitarian 
response, reinstating basic services, and economic and social recovery are some of the new 
leadership 's priorities. Equally, efforts to terminate the Huthis ' war and reaching a peaceful 
settlement remains to be the ideal pathway choice of the legitimate  government. The PLC is tasked 
with negotiating an end to the civil war that has been raging for almost seven and a half years. 
Therefore, Yemen government calls upon all development partners, including WTO members, to 
support the new leadership 's efforts to save Yemen from the ongoing catastrophic situation. It is 
equally important to restore economic recovery, create jobs, contribute to sta bility, growth, and 
peace. The government looks forward to receiving regional and international support for achieving 
the same. On this occasion, Yemen thanks our brotherly and friendly development partners for their 
continued backing to its endeavor to ov ercome the atrocious caused by Huthies coup and war.   
To conclude, Mr. Chairman, I sincerely wish this Ministerial Conference all the success it deserves, 
and hope it will come up with the necessary decisions and guidance to address the overwhelming 
list of difficult issues that need immediate resolution, including Arab and LDCs concerns to enhance 
their full integration in the multilateral trading system and global economy, Yemen included.  
__________