WT/L/1088  
 
22 January 2020  
(20-0582) Page: 1/3 
 Original: English/French  
 
DECLARATION ON WTO I SSUES  
TENTH MEETING OF AFR ICAN MINISTERS OF TR ADE 
ACCRA (GHANA), 14 DE CEMBER 2019  
 
The following communication, dated 21 January 2020, is being circulated to delegations at the 
request of the Delegation of Botswana.  
 
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We, the African Ministers of Trade (AMOT), meeting in Accra, Ghana, on 14 December 2019, on the 
occasion of the tenth AMOT meeting, in order, inter alia, to review the status of negotiations at the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) since our  last meeting, held in Cairo, Egypt, on 12 and 
13 December  2018;  
 
Reaffirming  our attachment to the multilateral trading system and noting that it crosses a crisis 
due to the rise and proliferation of unilateralism and protectionist trade measures that are , in 
essence, contrary to the rules, principles and mechanisms of the WTO, the erosion of the rights and 
benefits of Developing countries, the stalemate in the functioning of the WTO Appellate Body, and 
appeals to modify the rules and procedures of the WTO ;  
 
Acknowledging  the importance of regional integration and commending the progress made in 
achieving the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063: "The Africa We Want", including the 
entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (Af CFTA) and  recognizing the 
need to build coherence by ensuring that the African Group 's negotiating objectives at the WTO fully 
support objectives such as continental industrialization, structural transformation and integration of 
the continent;  
 
Having tak en note  of the informal processes initiated by Members, through joint Statement 
initiatives on Electronic Commerce, Investment Facilitation for Development, Domestic Regulation, 
and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and recognizing that some Members of the African Group 
countries participate in these initiatives;  
 
Stressing , however, that multilateralism remains the indicated and essential path to achieve 
inclusive and equitable development -oriented results;  
 
Expressing concern about the various difficulties and multiple challenges facing African countries 
involved in the WTO accession process;  
 
Reconfirming  our pledge to work on supporting efforts in the Multilateral Trading System that 
promote and defend Africa 's interests in line with the Afric an Union 's Agenda 2063: The Africa We 
Want;  
 
Taking note  of the outcomes of the African Group Retreat held on 23 November 2019 in Geneva.  
 
Agree to:  
 
1. Recall and reaffirm  the importance of implementing WTO Ministerial, and General Council 
Decisions and Declarations adopted since Doha in 2001, that keep development at the center 
of the work program;  
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  2. Reiterate  our concern with the lack of progress in addressing issues that  have long been of 
great importance to Africa, including in the area of agriculture the substantial reduction of 
trade distorting domestic support for agricultural products, including cotton, the Agreement 
on a Permanent Solution of Public Stockholding for  food security purposes, the establishment 
of a Special Safeguard Mechanism; simplification of agricultural tariffs, underscore  the 
importance of Special and Differential treatment to developing countries and acknowledge 
the need of LDCs and Net Food Impor ting Developing Countries  (NFIDs) for further 
flexibilities to address their food security challenges compounded by climate change. In 
addition to the group 's long -standing priorities on development, Duty free and Quota free 
market access, and preferential  rules of origin for LDCs. Urge  the membership to reach 
meaningful outcomes on these priorities by the Twelfth WTO Ministerial  Conference  (MC12).  
 
3. Reaffirm  and underline the importance of the negotiations on fisheries subsidies, and the 
need for special an d differential treatment to be given to developing countries in order to 
ensure food security, protect the livelihoods of coastal communities and provide policy space 
to strengthen their fisheries industries and capacities for economic and social developme nt 
for conclusion by MC12 and stress that the disciplines must be applicable to large scale 
fishing, target harmful subsidies that contribute immensely to overfishing and overcapacity;  
 
4. Reiterate  the need for the Aid -for-Trade initiative to continue to ach ieve its trade -related 
capacity -building objectives, removing supply -side constraints, developing infrastructure 
and facilitating the integration of developing economies, particularly LDCs, in regional and 
global trade, in ways that support their developme nt. Urge  Members to strengthen and 
improve the Aid -for-Trade initiative so that it truly benefits developing countries, and LDCs 
beneficiaries, by avoiding conditioning its implementation to their participation in the 
negotiation of new issues in the WTO;  
 
5. Acknowledge  the contribution of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Program to 
LDCs initiatives and efforts to build capacity on the export supply side;  
 
6. Commit ourselves  to strengthening our common positions and to keep ourselves informed 
of any deve lopments in the WTO, and to ensure that development is an integral part of all 
the outcomes of the negotiations, in line with the Doha Development Agenda;  
 
7. Reaffirm  that Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) is a treaty embedded right 
available to all developing countries and LDCs and must be an integral part of all WTO 
Agreements. Reiterate  our commitment to seek meaningful outcomes on S&DT, in line with 
paragraph 44 of the Doha Declaration and all pertinent provisions of WTO instruments, which 
would p rovide the necessary flexibilities and policy space for the implementation of 
commitments made under the current and future WTO Agreements. Commit  to work with 
all parties to ensure S&DT provisions are precise, operationally and effective and enable 
develo ping countries, particularly LDCs in Africa, to respond effectively to their development 
needs, in line with the priorities of industrial development, structural transformation and 
diversification as entailed in Agenda 2063;  
 
8. Pledge  support to African coun tries in the process of WTO accession and urge Members to 
desist from making unreasonable requests on African acceding countries to extend any 
commitments made as a result of their membership to the AfCFTA or that are inconsistent 
with their levels of deve lopment;  
 
9. Reaffirm  the importance of preserving and complying with the principles and procedures of 
the WTO as established in the Marrakesh Agreement; in particular: the architecture of 
development and special and differential treatment for developing cou ntries and LDCs;  
 
10. Re-emphasize  that WTO inconsistent unilateral trade measures taken by some WTO 
Members that have disruptive effects on the proper functioning of the Organization and 
undermine the core principles that underpin the Organization and the mu ltilateral trading WT/L/1088  
 
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  system, in particular non -discrimination, rules based and member driven negotiations, 
consensus, inclusiveness and equity , in particular;  
 
11. Reaffirm  that the discussion on transparency must take into account the capacity 
constraints of de veloping countries, in particular African countries, must be underpinned by 
a developmental and cooperative approach to incentivize countries to adhere to their 
obligations and must not add new obligations to Members that are not within the scope of 
the ex isting agreements.  
 
12. Urge  that priority be given to resolving the impasse in the Appellate Body and commit  
ourselves to working with all WTO Members to find mutually acceptable solutions while 
preserving the essential characteristics and integrity of the system;  
 
13. Reaffirm  that any debate on the reform of the WTO must include the views and interests 
of the Afri can Group, and address the long -standing issues of interest to developing countries 
as entailed in the Doha Development Agenda as well as preserve WTO principles and 
pertinent instruments that promote development and inclusion.  
 
14. Underscore  the importance o f the integration of African economies and commend the vision 
and commitment of the Heads of State and Government of African Countries, translated by 
the launch in Niamey (Niger), 7 July 2019, of the African Continental Free Trade Area 
(AfCFTA), which is a  far-reaching project for the promotion of economic, commercial and 
social, regional and integrative development;  
 
15. Stress  that the overriding objective of Africa 's trade policy is a Free Trade Area capable of 
building an African common market for goods and  services, and we must ensure that the 
outcomes of the negotiations in the WTO do not undermine these objectives;  
 
16. Direct  the African Group at the WTO in Geneva to continue to ensure the necessary 
synergies with the relevant organs of the African Union, wi th a view to ensure WTO 
Agreements support African integration, in particular th e Agreement Establishing the African 
Continental Free Trade Area with the WTO Agreements, in the different sectors and stages. 
Call upon the African Group to the WTO to impleme nt effectively the outcomes of their 
Retreat held in Geneva on 23 November 2019.  
 
17. Take note  of the progress report given by the Commission regarding the internal AU process 
in the endorsement of the African candidate for the position of the Director -General of the 
WTO and express the legitimate aspiration that the next WTO Director General be fr om Africa 
and; 
 
18. Welcome  the renewal of application by the AUC, to the Chair of the General Council of the 
WTO and the Director -General of the WTO, requesting the granting of Permanent Observer 
Status to the African Union in all WTO bodies and Call upon  all WTO members to support 
the African Union 's efforts to secure Observer Status in the WTO . 
 
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