RESTRICTED  
  
WT/GC/M/184  
 
24 June 2020  
(20-4395) Page: 1/36 
General Council  
29 May 2020    
 
MINUTES OF THE MEETI NG 
HELD IN VIRTUAL FORM AT ON 29 MAY 2020  
Chairperson: H.E. Dr. David Walker (New Zealand)  
The Chair man and the Direct or-General bade farewell to Ambassador Oxana Domenti (Republic of 
Moldova), Ambassador Deepak Jagdish Saksena (India) and Ambassador John Ronald Dipchandra 
Ford (Guyana) and expressed appreciation for their  valuable cont ribution during their time as 
Permanent Representative s. 
 
Subjects discussed1: 
 
1   REPORT BY THE CH AIRMAN OF THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITT EE AND                  
REPORT BY THE DIRECT OR-GENERAL  ................................ ................................ ..............  2 
2   IMPLEMENTATION O F THE BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUT COMES – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  ................................ ................................ .....................  11 
3   WORK PROGRAMME O N SMALL ECONOMIES – REPORT BY THE CHAIRM AN OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF  THE COMMITTEE ON TR ADE AND  DEVELOPMENT  ...................  13 
4   TWELFTH SESSION OF THE MINISTERIAL C ONFERENCE – DATE AND  VENUE  – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  ................................ ................................ .....................  15 
5   PROCESS OF APPOI NTMENT OF THE NEXT D IRECTOR -GENERAL –                                      
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  ................................ ................................ .....................  21 
6   JOINT MINISTERIA L STATEMENT ON ACTIO N PLANS TO FACILITAT E THE FLOW                  
OF GOODS AND SERVICE S AS WELL AS THE ESS ENTIAL MOVEMENT OF P EOPLE –                 
REQUEST BY THE REPUB LIC OF KOREA  ................................ ................................ ..........  27 
7   OTHER BUSINESS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 31 
7.1   Garments and Textile Sector in light of COVID -19 – Statement by Bangladesh  ................... 31 
7.2   Discussions of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group on COVID -19 – Statement by Afghanistan  ...31 
7.3   Request for Observer Status by Turkmenistan – Statement by the Chairman  ..................... 32 
7.4   Chairmanship of the Committee of Agriculture in Special Session –                                         
Statement by the Chairman  ................................ ................................ ................................ 32 
7.5   Statemen t by the Chairman on Administrative Measures for Members in Arrears  ................ 33 
ANNEX 1 – STATEMENT S BY EGYPT AND GABON ON THE REPORT BY THE  CHAIRMAN                
OF THE TRADE NEGOTIA TIONS COMMITTEE AND REPORT BY THE DIRECT OR-GENERAL 
(AGENDA ITEM 1)  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  34 
ANNEX 2 – STATEMENT BY AFGHANISTAN ON TH E REQUEST FOR OBSERV ER STATUS               
BY TURKMENISTAN (OTH ER BUSINESS 3)  ................................ ................................ ..... 36 
 
 
1 The proposed agenda was circulated in document WT/GC/W/800.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  1  REPORT BY THE CHAIR MAN  OF THE TRADE NEGOTI ATIONS COMMITTEE AND  REPORT 
BY THE DIRECTOR -GENE RAL 
1.1.  The Chair man noted  that a HODs and TNC meeting  would normally be convened  ahead of each 
General Council meeting , where matters pertaining to th at item in the G eneral Council  agenda were 
extensively discussed. This time, t he Director -General ha d considered that it was not  necessary to 
convene a HODs/TNC meeting. Instead, the Director -General  would provide a report under th e 
current  item highlighting messages from some Chairs of t he Negotiating Groups and updating 
Members  on his own contacts since the recent virtual special General Council meeting on 15 May.  
1.2.  The Director -General  said2 that the customary Informal TNC/H ODs meeting s ahead of th e 
General Council  had not been held and that  instead, he had  thought it would be more efficient for 
him to directly report to the General Council under th at item. He had  reached th at conclusion at 
least for th at General Council session based on views Members ha d expressed about continuing WTO 
negotiations during the current pandemic – notably at the Informal H ODs on 17 April.  
1.3.  In the 17 April Informal HODs  meeting , it had been  clear to him that while there was support 
for resuming certain types of work in a pragmatic and fl exible manner, there was no shared view 
about conducting negotiations via virtual means or written procedures, at least for the time being. 
To prepare his report, he had  convened a virtual meeting of Chairs of Negotiating Bodies on 28 May . 
Some of the Chai rs had been exploring options with Members to allow dialogue to continue. They 
had provided him with feedback to share with Members . 
1.4.  On the negotiations on fisheries subsidies , the Chair had informed him that, immediately 
following his last report to the TNC in early March, delegations had engaged actively in meetings 
and consultations throughout the March cluster. Th ose had included a plenary session that the Chair 
and he had  held on 6 March where Member s had expressed strong commitment to reach an 
agreement by MC12 which at the time was still  scheduled for June.  
1.5.  In light of what had been  heard, he and the Chair  had jointly convened another H ODs session 
to discuss overcapacity and overfishing. But they h ad been  unable to hold th at meeting due to the 
COVID -19 restrictions. The Chair ha d subsequently undertaken a written exchange of views on two 
new proposals and had consulted bilaterally with interested delegations and groups on options to 
continue making progress in the current situation.  
1.6.  Based on what he had heard during th ose consultations and on statements made at the 17  April 
HODs, the Chair had issued a communication on 7 May to the Negotiating Group on Rules. That 
communication said that, as a whole , the Group was not ready to fully engage while still facing the 
difficulties arising from the pandemic, and that the best course at the moment was to wait a short 
while longer to see how the situation develop ed. The Chair was continuing to monitor the sit uation. 
He had informed him that he remain ed mindful of the urgency of the negotiations and of the mandate 
to agree to new disciplines on fisheries subsidies by the end of the year. To th at end, he was available 
for consultations and ready to resume work a s soon as possible.  
1.7.  On agriculture, the C oA SS had held a first virtual meeting on 25 May  for a preliminary 
exchange of views on how work should proceed in the current environment. Members had discussed 
the impact of COVID -19 and recent measures put in place by some. Many had felt that the pandemic 
was likely to influence their negotiating pri orities and positions.  Several had noted that the current 
situation  had highlighted the importance of reforming existing agricultural rules and keeping trade 
in agricultural products open and secure, to guarantee food and livelihood security for people aro und 
the world.  
1.8.  Among negotiating topics considered to be directly related to food security, export restrictions, 
public stockholding and domestic support had gotten the most attention. References had also been 
made to the special safeguard mechanism, Mark et Access and Cotton. Several Members had 
highlighted the particular importance of transparency calling for all COVID -19 related trade 
measures to be targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary.  
 
2 The Director -General's report was circulated in JOB/ GC/231.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  1.9.  Concerning the  process, Members were open to having vi rtual meetings to exchange views, 
though many felt  that substantive negotiating meetings would be difficult in the current situation. 
Some Members had said that the options paper that the Chair had circulated on 16 March would be 
useful as a reference in t he negotiations going forward. He recalled that Ambassador Deep Ford ha d 
informed Members that he w ould step down as Chair of the CoA SS  on 30 June , and he  thank ed him 
for his determination and perseverance in pushing the Committee's work forward since his  
appointment. He was confident that Ambassador Ford  had provided a platform that was sound for 
Members to build on.  
1.10.   On special and differential treatment, the Chair of the CTD SS ha d initiated a written process 
to allow a preliminary exchange of views on t he G-90 submission. As a first step, Members had been  
invited to submit questions or comments. Th ose comments ha d been forwarded to all Members. He 
underst ood that the G -90 ha d asked for some more time to provide its responses. Once they were 
received, the Chair w ould be in touch with Members to determine the way forward.  
1.11.   On the Council for TRIPS in Special Session , the chairmanship of the TRIPS SS was in 
transition following the appointment of Ambassador Castillo to the DSB. On work amongst gr oups 
of Members, the Director -General  would leave it to the coordinators to provide transparency reports 
if they so wish ed. He inform ed delegations that he intend ed to convene a formal meeting of the TNC 
in July  which would  be the last meeting he would  chair in his capacity as the Chair man of the TNC. 
The exact date  would be communicated  in due course.  
1.12.   On his own activities, the Director -General  recalled that he  had already provided two reports 
on trade and the COVID -19 pandemic , which had been  subsequently  circulated as JOB/TNC/80 and 
JOB/GC/229. Since the special virtual General Council meeting on Trade and the COVID -19 pandemic 
on 15 May , he had  participated in a virtual meeting of the UN Chief Executives Board. He had  also 
taken part, along with the head s of four other international organizations, in a discussion hosted by 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The economic and social impacts of the COVID -19 pandemic 
featured prominently in both instances. He emphasi sed the importance of international cooperati on, 
including on trade, to foster a strong, sustained, and inclusive economic recovery.  
1.13.   Closing off trade would mean unnecessary supply shocks, slower growth, weaker productivity, 
higher real debt burdens, and lower living standards. In addition,  on 19 Ma y, together with the 
Chair man, he had  participated in a Trade Dialogues event at the request of the International 
Chamber of Commerce and B20 Saudi Arabia. Business leaders from around the world representing 
large and small companies from a wide range of s ectors  had discussed how trade policy and the 
WTO could help counter the economic effects of the COVID -19 crisis.  
1.14.   They had particularly emphasi sed the importance of maintaining an uninterrupted supply of 
essential goods and services at times of crisis; tr ansparency on COVID -19 related measures; 
ensuring that COVID -19 related measures were targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary 
and an effective and rapid implementation of the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement. It had been  
heartening to hear their strong support for the predictability and certainty fostered by the 
multilatera l trading system — and their interest in ongoing efforts to update the WTO rulebook.  
1.15.   Ensuring that businesses and households ha d the confidence to invest and consume w ould be 
a very important part of their economic recovery. And it was why the multilatera l trading system 
had an important role to play in all of th ose efforts. The previous week's  reading from the goods 
trade barometer suggest ed that trade ha d not yet bottomed out  – in line with the WTO's April 
forecast predicting sharp falls in trade across all sectors and regions due to the pandemic.  
1.16.   All Members should intensify efforts to do what they c ould at home and collectively to foster 
a strong rebound. In the activities at the WTO on monitoring and transparency, implementation of 
commitments, negoti ations and broader reform efforts, Members  should  work to ensure that their 
organization emerge d out of th e crisis more resilient than ever, and even more responsive to 
Members' changing needs.  
1.17.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , recogni zed that it was particularly difficult  
to move forward effectively in their work despite the virtual meeting arrangements that ha d been 
put in place to maintain a certain level of communication between Members . In th at regard, the 
LDCs thank ed the Secretariat and their technical assistance partners who ha d mobili sed to facilitate WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  at LDC level regular communications on issues that concern ed them not only on trade matters in 
discussion before the crisis outbreak , but also on the impact of the C OVID-19 and response s to be 
provided notably as part of the WTO.  
1.18.   Despite the global health crisis , Members  were experiencing and awaiting a certain return to 
normalcy  in their work and modes of communication with their capitals, the LDCs'  positions on 
variou s trade -related subjects under negotiation remain ed broadly the same whether in agriculture, 
fisheries subsidies or S&DT . The COVID -19 crisis further require d Members  to move faster towards 
a result concerning food security in agricultural or fisheries mat ters.  
1.19.   For the rest, the LDCs  were still looking for a better facilitation of trade in agricultural 
products, including cotton, to the developed and developing countr y markets, by solving the problem 
of domestic support provided  by some Members and which d istorted markets and penali sed the 
LDCs' ability to better integrate into world trade.  
1.20.   In terms of fisheries subsidies, the LDCs  were looking for a result which t ook into account the 
preservation of fishery resources, as well as the application of S&DT pro visions  which preserve d the 
objectives of food security, job creation and more generally the rights of LDCs' fishing communities  
and LDCs graduating from their status.  
1.21.   With regard to S&DT , the LDCs wished that their  partners s aw that principle as necessary  to 
be integrate d into the negotiations and the texts, to take into account their specific constraints and 
level of needs to facilitate the acceleration of their economic and trade development towards more 
robustness from which everyone  would come  out a winner.  The LDC  Group defend ed the importance 
of considering maintaining flexibilities for LDCs on the way out of thei r status in order to ensure a 
smooth transition towards economic development.  
1.22.   The representative of Botswana , on behalf of the Afri can Group , reiterate d the Group's 
position , as had been previously expressed during the virtual Informal HOD s meeting on 17 April 
and the Special G eneral Council  meeting on 15 May, that global rulemaking in a time of crisis was 
difficult to pursue. What was patently clear from the current phase of the pandemic was that there 
were a lot of unknowns. No one was certain about the duration of the pandemic or how it w ould 
evolve across different countries and regions. It should be acknowledged that different countries 
and regions ha d vastly different capabilities to address the downturn as a result of the pandemic.  
1.23.   COVID -19 ha d accelerated and had magnified deficiencies th at had already been present in 
the world trading and financial governance system. As the COVID -19 outbreak advance d in Africa 
and its health impact, economic, development and social consequences continue d to deepen, it was 
only logical that Members t ook time to assess the implications of th e crisis. What was becoming 
increasing ly clear was that the crisis was having a disproportionate impact on African countries.  
1.24.   That underscore d the need for trade policy reforms and policy flexibilities necessary to build  
domestic productive capacities, address strategic vulnerabilities and ensure the resilience needed to 
overcome the ensuing crisis. Beyond the containment narrative and justifications for the imposition 
of trade restrictive measures, it c ould not therefore  be accepted that the recovery phase c ould 
constitute a return to a business as usual approach.  
1.25.   Existing asymmetries and inequality in the world economy  should  be addressed to ensure an 
inclusive framework to build resilience and that addresse d the interr elationship between finance, 
debt and trade. Rebalancing global rules with a focus on national and regional development 
objectives and strategic vulnerabilities was imperative. Africa should be allowed to build its capacity 
and resilience in the face of CO VID-19 and further calamities in the context of the African Continental 
Free Trade Agreement and in light of the imperatives of Agenda 2063: the Africa We Want.  
1.26.   The impact of COVID -19 in Members' economies and the global trading landscape should be 
taken i nto consideration in the multilateral negotiations when they realise d a return to sufficient 
normalcy to progress their normative agenda. In that regard, several  priorities remain ed high on 
the African Group's development agenda .  
1.27.   On agriculture negotiations, significant reforms were necessary in the global agricultural trade 
that would give all Members a fair opportunity to trade by addressing imbalances arising from trade WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  distorting domestic support, including on cotton, and the p olicy space needed to address food 
security challenges in Africa, especially for the LDCs and NFIDCs.  
1.28.   On fisheries negotiations, the African Group  urged Members to engag e constructively on the 
basis of the draft Chair 's negotiating text and reaffirm ed its commitment to arrive at an effective, 
implementable and balanced outcome on fisheries subsidies that deliver ed on all the aspects of the 
mandate including S&DT.  
1.29.   On development, the African Group  underscore d the importance of strengthening the Special 
and Differential Treatment provisions to promote inclusive growth and ensure a multilateral trading 
system  that was responsive to the needs of developing countries especially LDCs.  
1.30.   On e -commerce, the African Group reiterate d the urgent need for discussions on the 
development dimension under the 1998 Work Programme on Electronic Commerce to address the 
wide gap in the digital divide that ha d become glaring following the COVID -19 pandemic.  
1.31.   The representative of Burkina Faso , on behalf of the C -4 and the 36 Africa n Country Cotton  
and Cotton Product Producers and/or Exporters , associated with the statements made by the LDCs,  
the African Group,  the ACP and the G-90. The C -4 also wished to  thank Ambassador Ford for his 
excellent work during his term , particularly during a difficult period.  The COVID -19 pandemic and 
trade measures had a negative impact on cotton activities. Between March and April 2020, world 
consumption of cotton lint had f allen by 6.4% while cotton prices had fallen  by 26.1% between 
January and April 2020. Over the same period, world cotton imports and exports had declined by 
6.6% and 6.8%, respectively.  
1.32.   In C-4 countries, on average, 70% of the fibre produced in 2020 was b locked in factories, in 
transit or in ports, and exposed to the sun and bad weather with the immediate effects of loss of 
quality and additional costs.  The p ayment to producers had been  traditionally made at the end of 
the cotton season . Given the current  blockage of fibres produced, such a condition  had the direct 
consequence of destitution, over -indebtedness and the risk of famine for millions of people.  
1.33.   Now, more than ever, t he cotton sector in LDCs needed the support of development partners 
to find a la sting solution to the C-4's concerns which should address the devastating impact of  the 
COVID -19 pandemic in an effective and sustainable manner . The C-4, composed of LDCs,  did not 
have substantial resources to create a plan to revive their agricultural sector impacted by COVID -
19 to the same extent as developed Member s could offer to their s – accentuat ing the imbalances 
already existing due to  trade-distorting domestic support for cotton and cotton -related products.  
1.34.   To better progress in the  negotiations, the C -4 invite d the Secretariat to perform a quantified 
assessment of the economic and soci al impact s of COVID -19 in the cotton sector of LDCs which were 
highly dependent on  the production, processing and marketing of cotton . Beyond agreeing  on an 
outcome on cotton domestic support by MC12, discussions should be done on concrete proposals to 
help address the legitimate concerns both on the trade and on the development al aspect s of cotton.  
1.35.   The C-4 continue d to appreciate the commitment of the Members heavily involved in the 
cotton dossier to continue the negotiations amid the difficult health and economic crisis. For a more 
productive interaction with their capitals, cotton meetings should be organi zed as soon as the 
circumstances  become more f avourable . Any other possible intermediate approaches such as what 
the C -4 had put forward that day could follow.  
1.36.   The C-4 support ed a transparent, inclusive and equitable  process  in accordance with the 
current procedures to facilitate the appointment , within the timeframe to be agreed , of the next 
Director -General of the WTO, and to ensure the continuation of the preparations for the organization 
of MC12 in 2021.  
1.37.   The representative of Costa Rica , on behalf of the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic 
Regulation,  said that 54 Members ha d demonstrated their commitment to th e process by circulating 
their indicative draft schedules in which they propose d to inscribe the draft Reference Paper on 
Domestic Regulation into their GATS Schedules. Most recently, U kraine ha d made its submission on 
26 March. The exchange of indicative draft schedules constitute d an important milestone in th ose 
open-ended negotiations. It was a crucial step to further enhance the credibility of and participation WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  in the process especia lly in light of the exceptional circumstances of th e period. At the last open -
ended meeting on 5 March, participants ha d been able to resolve further outstanding issues in the 
Reference Paper. Overall, only few issues remain ed under discussion at t he curre nt stage.  
1.38.   Subsequently, during the current period in which face to face meetings ha d not been possible, 
the Initiative ha d continued working and he had  held bilateral and small group consultations, and 
participants were likewise continuing to work on the f ew outstanding issues. All delegations he had 
consulted with had expressed their commitment to the Initiative, had indicated their willingness to 
keep up the momentum and to adjust their working arrangements, timelines and objectives of th e 
process to the current circumstances.  
1.39.   Delegations had also reported their continued outreach efforts to Members who were not 
already part of th e Initiative with a view to addressing in a practical and mutually satisfactory way 
their concerns and interests. The Initiativ e's commitment was to keep the process open, inclusive 
and transparent especially under the current circumstances. The Initiative's goal was to deliver an 
outcome consistent with WTO law and procedures which w ould contribute to further facilitating 
service s trade and promoting economic growth and development. He invite d all Members not already 
part of th e process to engage actively in the discussions and consider joining the Joint Initiative on 
Services Domestic Regulation.  
1.40.   The representative of  Panama  said that his country  was focusing  on ensuring the adequate 
supply of essential products to combat the CO VID-19 pandemic and to stabili se its economy and 
society.  In that context, Members should continue their efforts to ensure the smooth flow of trade 
in essential goods and services with a view to avoiding, inter alia, the scarcity of food and medicines. 
It was therefore  important to understand how the WTO and the negotiations c ould contribute to 
economic recovery and development  given the current circumstances . 
1.41.   In previous meetings, Panama  had expressed its view on the ongoing negotiations. Panama 
reiterate d its willingness to continue WTO work in virtual format accompanied by complementary 
modalities. The technologies adopted should ensure transparency, inclusiveness, confidentiality and 
the inter -governmental nature of the processes. Panama remained  open to continue discussions, 
document presentations and transparency exercises  in the regular bodies and negotiating groups .  
1.42.   Panama had co-sponsored with a dozen Members a communication3 in the SPS and TBT 
Committees requesting Members to suspend changes to their maximum residue levels  for plant 
protection products and to adjust t hem to  international standards to facilitate fair and predictable 
trade. Panama  hoped that technology w ould help Members  debate on the issue.  Members  should 
also quickly find solutions for the DSB and the process of selecting a new D irector -General . 
1.43.   On negotiati ons, while virtual platforms w ould allow informal meetings and  would lay the  
foundation for future negotiations,  now was not the time to use them to negotiate. Such  sensitivity 
extend ed to the work of plurilateral initiatives  to which Panama was part of . Members should  
nonetheless continue work in all negotiating areas , including services, to ensure a balance of benefits 
and responsibilities resulting from the various negotiations and discussions.  
1.44.   During the lockdown , everyone  had witness ed how electronic commerce represent ed a lifeline 
to secure food, basic services, treatments an d health services. Now, more than ever, achieving 
concrete results in the  Work Program me on Electronic Commerce and making the moratorium on 
customs duties on electronic transmissions permanent  had become even more important .  
1.45.   Panama and other Latin American Members had also presented a room document4 to 
strengthen WTO work in times  of crisis, without pause, but with the flexibility that circumstances 
require d. Panama  likewise appreciate d the work of the WTO Health Task Force . To support them, 
Panama suggest ed the organization of consultations, or an informal meeting, to learn more about 
the concerns  of delegations  and perhaps to provide suggestions on how to organi ze WTO work , 
whether through virtual means, conducting face-to-face meetings or a mix of both  during the 
 
3 The communication can be found in document G/SPS/GEN/1778 – G/TBT/GEN/296. A revision was 
subsequently circulated in document G/SPS/GEN/1778 /Rev.1  – G/TBT/GEN/296 /Rev.1.  
4 The room document can be found in RD/GC/13 – RD/TNC/2.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  pandemic and after it – once restrictions would be relaxed . The practices  Members  adopted  to face 
the current challenges w ould have benefits that w ould be apparent beyond th ose times.  
1.46.   The representative of Uruguay , on behalf of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs,  extend ed 
his appreciation to all delegations that had sponsored the statement on MSMEs bringing the total 
number of co -sponsors to 52 representing 79 Members including four non -Members of the MSMEs 
Group.  A revised version had been  issues on 26 May in document WT/GC/215/Rev.1. He also 
thank ed Members who ha d voluntarily submitted information on the measures they ha d put in place 
to help their MSMEs in th ose difficult times. He invite d others to follow suit . The Secretariat was 
working on a compilation  in that regard.  Timely and accurate provision of information on COVID 
related trade measures  reduce d uncertainty and allow ed MSMEs to make informed decision s. 
1.47.   Discussions on the set of proposals to form part o f a Ministerial Package ha d continued in an 
informal mode led by the co -sponsors of the various proposals. Likewise, he was  pleased to note 
that further progress ha d been made and that several texts seem ed to already be stabilised. Another 
series of inform al discussions and webinars were planned in the coming weeks ahead of the group 
meeting he intend ed to convene on 21 July using th e same platform  as what they were currently 
using . The meeting w ould be an opportunity to review the various texts and discuss the way forward.  
1.48.   The representative of Australia , on behalf of the Joint Statement Initiative on E -Commerce  
and its co -convenors Australia , Japan  and Singapore , report ed that since HODs in March, the 
Initiative  had made significant changes to its work programme to take into account the COVID -19 
crisis including postponing negotiating rounds scheduled for March and April. Instead, in recognition 
of e-commerce and digital trade during th e crisis, the Initiative had  held a series of well -attended 
webinars in early May in partnership with stakeholders.  
1.49.   Those had explored the emerging digital trade issues in the context of COVID -19 specifically 
the impact of the crisis on the use of e -payments and e -docum ents, MSMEs' use of digital tools and 
the role of data flows. The co -convenors  had scheduled a virtual plenary meeting of the JSI on 
11 June which w ould be an opportunity to exchange views on how to advance their work in the 
coming months and to enable par ticipants to report in intersessional discussions. The Initiative  had 
heard from the business community on the growing importance of the electronic commerce 
negotiations and look ed forward to moving ahead as circumstances permit ted. 
1.50.   The representative of Saint Lucia , on behalf of CARICOM , bade farewell to Ambassador Ford 
of Guyana and wished him every success in the next chapter of his journey. He stressed that he  had 
represented the co-operative Republic of Guyana with distinction and the CARICOM region h ad, by 
extension, also benefited from his sterling contribution to the WTO. His adroit chairmanship of the 
Committee on Agriculture Special Session had been an inspiration to everyone. CARICOM therefore 
wished Ambassador Ford  
1.51.   Members were  operating in unp recedented times due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a 
period during which their economies ha d been severely damaged and when their already meagre 
resources ha d had to be stretched to the limit. Th ose times therefore call ed for new thinking and 
renewed resolve to advance the work of th e organi zation so that it c ould fulfil its role as a body 
dedicated to improving the lives of ordinary people through a fair, predictable and rules -based 
trading system.   
1.52.   For CARICOM, backsliding on its commitment to multi lateralism was not an option given the 
central importance of the multilateral trading system to its development. CARICOM  therefore urge d 
all Members to sustain their engagement across the range of negotiating files. For its part, the 
CARICOM Group pledge d its commitment to participating in and contributing to the negotiating 
process in a constructive manner.   
1.53.   CARICOM  also encourage d Members to use th at opportunity to reflect on how they c ould 
respond to current and future challenges  particularly those faci ng developing and LDC Members . 
CARICOM  was cognisant of the fact that the WTO was going through a process of transition owing 
to the impending departure of the Director -General in addition to other systemic issues confronting 
the Membership. CARICOM  urged Members to stay the course and recommit themselves to the 
principles that underpin ned multilateralism.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  1.54.   The representative of Jamaica , on behalf of the ACP Group , extende d the ACP's gratitude to 
Ambassador Ford for his stewardship of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session since 2018. 
He had advanced the work of the CoA SS in a balanced, fair, thoughtful and creative manner. The 
ACP regretted that he would leave so on as the Group was looking forward to his successful landing 
of tangible outcomes at MC12.  
1.55.   The ACP Group commended the Chairman for his initiative to host the Special Virtual Meeting 
of the General Council  on 15 May to exchange views on the impact of COV ID-19 on WTO work, on 
Members' economies and on trade. I n addition to the intra-ACP Group work and reflection on the 
implications of COVID -19, the General Council meeting ha d led the ACP  to conclude that the impact 
of COVID -19 would be significant and last ing and w ould require collaboration among all Members to 
produce mutually beneficial short, medium and long term solutions. The impact w ould certainly be 
felt in the work programme s and as a result, the ACP Group urge d flexibility, cooperation and 
diplomac y among the  Membership to address issues that w ould arise. Th at was particularly 
important for the negotiating mandate on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, services and S&DT.  
1.56.   Members should  also focus their attention on the nexus between TRIPS and Public H ealth, 
particularly as it relate d to accessibility to and availability of affordable drugs and technologies 
relevant to their fight against COVID -19. The ACP  Group  was concerned about export restrictions 
including on food and medical supplies. Members  should be mindful of the manner in which they 
proceed ed in those unforeseen circumstance s. They should ensure that their work going forward 
remain ed inclusive and transpar ent. At the same time, as the WTO was important to the global 
economy, Members  should  seek to preserve the WTO's core functions and the sustainability of its 
operations.  
1.57.   COVID -19 did not issue a licence to ignore WTO rules. The pandemic h ad also brought t o the 
fore inequalities among and within countries. Th at serve d to highlight why S&DT for developing and 
LDC Members was such an integral part of the architecture of the multilateral trading system and 
the importance of the many issues contained in the G -90 proposal. The ACP Group reiterate d its 
commitment to an inclusive, transparent, rules -based multilateral system with the WTO a s its core 
institution. The WTO should  cater for all its Members . And in their collective effort, attention should  
be paid espec ially to the most vulnerable among them – ensur ing that the work of the organization 
enjoy ed the ownership of all its Members.  
1.58.   The representative of Indonesia , intervening under Items 1 and 2, associate d with the 
statement to be made by ASEAN. Th e pandemic  had not only pushed Members'  health care system s 
to the maximum of their capacity  but had also crucially threaten ed global economic growth le aving  
them no choice but to reallocate resources in order to support local business and prevent recession. 
Current conditions relating to the spread of the virus however indicate d that the struggle to maintain  
health, social and economic stability would persist – and the current phenomenon show ed that the 
developing world was the hardest hit.  
1.59.   While trade should remain open during th ose challenging times, any flexibilities undertaken 
by governments in line with the WTO Agreements should be respected.  As could be seen in its 
COVID -19 notification, Indonesia's  response during th e crisis was valid.  The pandemic  showed 
Members  that multilateral trade rules should  also ensure basic human rights  including  food security, 
access to health and basic support to vulnerable societ ies which were crucial in this difficult period.  
1.60.   So far, there ha d been little progress on the mandated core issues in agriculture and other 
areas. There was also no clarity on how the Appellate Body w ould be revived to restor e the two -
stage dispute settle ment system. Continued discussion on fisheries subsidies discipline s whenever 
possible  should  not lose sight of the need to support vulnerable coastal communities and small -scale 
fisheries. Equally, their efforts in agricultur e negotiations should also aim  at the resumption and 
advancement of PSH and SSM at the soonest.  
1.61.   The representative of India said that a s many parts of the world continue d to witness 
continued  growth in C OVID -19 infections and deaths, the primary focus of governments was to 
ensure the health and safety of their citizens. The exigencies of the current crisis le ft Members  with 
little bandwidth for negotiations. Several Members ha d moreover underlined the need to  recalibrate 
their priorities and positions at the WTO to contain the economic and social fallout of the crisis. Th at WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  made negotiations in a business -as-usual format difficult. The need of the hour was to use th e crisis 
as an opportunity to build a more in clusive, balanced and resilient multilateral trading system.  
1.62.   He said that India's  priorities at the WTO remain ed: (i) the resolution of the Appellate Body 
impasse , (ii) a more effective and lasting way to ensure the food security of the most vulnerable 
and eliminate the historic asymmetries in AMS entitlements in the Agreement on Agricultur e, (iii) the 
urgent need to build the digital capacities of developing and LDC Members  in areas like digital skills 
and broadband infrastructure so that the benefits of the e-commerce applications like e -education, 
tele-medicine, electronic payments and use of digital platforms for sourcing goods and services were 
available to everyone including for developing  and LDC  Members  – the requirement of new sources 
of revenue fo r developing countries including LDCs ha d also underlined the need for ending the e -
commerce moratorium on imposing customs duties on electronic  transmissions , (iv) the completion 
of negotiations on disciplines on fisheries subsidies with appropriate S&DT  for developing  countries  
including LDCs to protect their small and subsistence fishermen  and (v) enable the effective use of 
TRIPS flexibilities to ensure access to essential medicines, treatments and vaccines to all at 
affordable prices, especially in the context of the C OVID -19 pandemic.  
1.63.   On a personal note, it was time for him to say goodbye as he headed back to India on the 
comple tion of his tenure. It ha d been a privilege working with distinguished colleagues and delegates 
as well as outstanding professionals from the Secretariat. He would always cherish th at experience. 
He thank ed everyone for their friendship and cooperation ext ended to him and his delegation. During 
the last three  years, the WTO ha d faced some of the most challenging times. The paralysis of the 
WTO and its consequential ineffectiveness was no longer a theoretical possibility . It could  turn into 
a tragic reality.  Members should altogether  ensure that that would  not happen . 
1.64.   India ha d always valued the multilateral trading system embodied by the WTO not because it 
had given it special advantages but for its many achievements. The WTO ha d kept markets open, 
had preve nted trade wars until  recently, had contributed to global growth bringing hundreds of 
millions of people out of poverty and had served as a global public good. Even more importantly, it 
had huge potential of ushering in economic growth especially for peopl e in the shadows of life and 
for countries on the margins of development. It w ould be a sad day indeed, and a lost opportunity, 
if it fail ed to deliver on th at promise.  He would  leave with the belief that the ability and wisdom of 
the membership  would help the WTO weather many storms and under the Chairman's  guidance the 
rules-based multilateral trading system w ould not only endure but w ould also prevail.  
1.65.   The representative of South Africa  wished Ambassadors Ford and Deepak all the best  and said 
that both were leaving  at a time when their wisdom was required the most.  South Africa associated 
with the statement made by the  ACP and the Africa n Group.  That was the first regular meeting of 
the G eneral Council  since the outbreak of COVID -19 which had wreaked  havoc across the world. 
With limited public resources and over -stretched health systems, Africa face d a particularly daunting 
task in mitigating the effects of the pandemic. The Wor ld Bank project ed that growth in Sub -Saharan 
Africa w ould decline from 2.4 % in 2019 to negative 5.1% in 2020. The crisis was felt immediately 
and most severely by developing Members  which ha d seen capital flight during March much greater 
than that experienced during the 2008 -2009 crisis. Th at was in addition to fluctuation in currencies 
that had collapsed in some cases and significant decline in export and remittance earnings, tourism 
revenues and foreign exchange  – that at a time when debt payments ha d increased . That  was the 
perfect storm. It was therefore not the time for rulemaking . Negotiations should be kept in abeyance 
to enable Members to respond to the crises.  
1.66.   The situation  called for a reflection on the role of the multilateral trading system  in promoting 
economic recovery. Negotiations a nd negotiating positions w ould need to be recalibrated to promote 
resilience in national economies which was essential for building resilience in the global economy. 
That necessitate d a peace clause for all the government measures implemented in the contex t of 
COVID -19 and strengthening S&D T provisions. COVID -19 ha d highlighted the critical importance of 
the G -90 proposals in promoting public health, accelerat ing industrialization, upgrad ing and 
moderni sing manufacturing, promot ing technology transfer and c losing the digital divide to promote 
an inclusive digital economy. The G -90 thank ed the Members for their responses and was preparing 
a response in th at regard. Meaningful progress in the work of the CTD  SS was critical in achieving 
the SDGs and to promote  resilience and economic recovery in the context of COVID -19. 
1.67.   That also necessitate d preserving the multilateral nature of the WTO so as to promote global 
cooperation rather than plurilaterals that fragment ed the multilateral trading system ; preserving WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  policy tools to promote economic recovery; policy flexibility with a view to promote rebalancing 
between global rules and national economic development imperatives ; rules that support ed 
production -led growth, jobs and structural transformation; addressing distortions in agriculture trade 
and promot ing food security; rules on fisheries subsidies that d id not constrain the ability of Members 
to promote sustainable fishing, food security an d economic development; review of the moratorium 
on e-commerce especially in the context of fiscal constraints to implement response measures and 
economic recovery plans and removing the threat presented by the TRIPS N on-Violation and 
Situation Complaints  to the effective implementation of the TRIPS flexibilities by agreeing that NVC 
claims were not applicable under the TRIPS Agreement.  
1.68.   The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , associated  with the statements 
made by the ACP and the LDCs. While negotiations ha d been stalled due to COVID -19, the Pacific 
Group  thank ed the Chairs of the CoA SS and the Negotiating Group on Rules for reaching out to 
consult Members on how to move the negotiation s forward. Following the Special General Council 
Meeting o n 15 May and the CoA SS Meeting o n 25 May which ha d discussed the trade measures 
imposed by Members, it was clear that recalibration of ambition and priorities to take into account 
during those diff icult times would need to be considered going forward.  
1.69.   Better clarity on rules for applying export restrictions in both agriculture and industrial goods 
were needed  to prevent future situations which threaten ed access to essential supply such as food 
and m edicines and medicinal products for small, vulnerable countries that were heavily dependent 
on imports. The Pacific  Group ha d always emphasised in the Negotiating Group on Rules the need 
for policy  space to develop its fisheries. COVID -19 ha d reinforced th at message to ensure food and 
livelihood security for SVEs and in particular for SIDS. PSH need ed to be considered more urgently 
than before. The COVID -related trade measures targeting SPS and TBT issues also need ed to think 
about how to assist developing Members in light of  those measures.  
1.70.   The representative of  the European Union  thanked Ambassador Ford for his work as Chair of 
the CoA SS, for his dynamism and enthusiasm. Co ncerning the agenda i tem, it  was important to put 
the WTO back on track  and on negotiating mode. The European Union had  noted earlier th at week 
the latest announcement by the Swiss Federal Government  and hoped that from June , Members  
could go back to some kind of physical meetings. The European Union was in favour of continuing 
such virtual meetings and taking decisions in virtual and written procedures, as appropriate. It was 
important that Members  resume d fisheries negotiations and that JSIs continue d as well as 
agricultural negotiations. The multilateral trading system need ed a functioning WTO. The European 
Union  hoped Members  were soon leaving th at phase and that as of June, they would get their work 
back on track.  
1.71.   The representative of Guyana , said that  on a personal note,  he wished to  acknowledge the 
kind sentiments directed at him over  the past week. In particular, regarding the Agricultur e attachés , 
he said that when the agricultur e negotiations g ot more outcomes over the line, they would do so 
because of the fuel that th ose Agricult ure attachés had provide d to drive the process. What progress 
they had achieved during the past two years was because they ha d represented their delegations  so 
well and they ha d made great efforts to walk a mile in others' shoes. He also wished to thank th e 
Secretariat , and  in particular the Agriculture  and Commodities  Division. The work of the CoA SS 
Chair could not be delivered without their inputs – technical and organizational. He commended  the 
Agriculture Team – Edwini Kessie, Cédric Pene, Ulla Kask, D iwakar Dixit, Marieme Fall, Helen Favez 
and all the other members  of the Agriculture  Division . 
1.72.   He thanked  the staff of the Guyana Mission for their support during th at period  and his co-
Chair over the past four years in Geneva and of every Committee that he had  ever chaired over the 
past forty years – his wife – recognising her contribution to the work of the Chai r of the CoA SS . He 
extended his gratitude to all the  colleagues he had  met in Geneva over the past four years. Their 
generosity of spirit was what he would remember most. He would  leave Geneva in just one month, 
hopeful and energi sed, and he thank ed them for that. He urged Members to continue wherever they 
were to work togeth er for the inclusive, sustainable, peaceful and healthy world that they all 
deserve d – specifically  to work to establish a fair and market -oriented agricultural trading system 
that was needed to make  that world possible.  
1.73.   The representative of Switzerland  said that, a t the Special Virtual Meeting of the General 
Council on COVID -19 trade related measures on 15 May, Switzerland  had set out the main features 
of the Ministerial Statement on COVID -19 and the Multilateral Trading System issued as a General WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  Council document in WT/GC/212. The Ministers supporting th e statement were seeking ways of 
ensuring the continued cross -border flow of vital medical supplies and other essential g oods and 
services during th e health crisis.  
1.74.   They also want ed to reaffirm that the WTO ha d an essential role to play in th at regard. 
Switzerland  inform ed Members  that th e joint statement was currently  supported by 46 Ministers 
responsible for the WTO, repr esenting a broad spectrum of the WTO Membership. A revised version 
had been circulated t hat day in document WT/GC/212/Rev.1  to add four new co -sponsors : 
Mauritania, Papua New Guinea, Qatar and Seychelles.  
1.75.   The General Council took note  of the report of the Director -General and of the statements5. 
2  IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E BALI, NAIROBI AND BUENOS AIRES OUTCOME S – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  
2.1.  The Chairman recalled6 that the item ha d been on the agenda since 2014 for the General 
Council to continue to follow up on the Ministerial decisions adopted in Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires 
in a transparent manner. Due to the lockdown and the suspension of physical meetings in mid -
March, most W TO bodies ha d not yet met since the last regular General Council meeting. His report 
that day w ould be very brief and would only focus on a few matters where there ha d been some 
developments to report.  
2.2.  On the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce , pursuant  to the December General Council 
Decision and following the March General Council meeting, two submissions ha d been circulated: 
WT/GC/W/798 on the "Scope and Impact of the e -commerce moratorium " from two Members7; and 
WT/GC/W/799 on "Broadening and Deepeni ng the Discussion on the Moratorium on Imposing 
Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions" from a number of Members8. 
2.3.  Due to the suspension of meetings, the informal open -ended meeting planned for 16 March to 
consider th ose submissions had been  postponed.  A virtual informal open -ended meeting was 
tentatively scheduled for mid -July to give delegations the opportunity to discuss the two submissions 
and any other submission Members could  wish to put forward by then. Further information about 
the meeting w ould be provided in due course. In line with the Member -driven nature of their work 
and given the importance of e -commerce as had been highlighted by the COVID -19 pandemic  as a 
number of delegations ha d just mentioned under the previous item , he encourage d delegations to 
contribute to discussions in the four mandated bodies by putting forward views and concrete ideas 
on how Members  could move forward with their e-commerce work under the work programme.  
2.4.  Regarding TRIPS non -violation and situation complaints , the Chair-designate of the TRIPS 
Council ha d held some virtual consultations to discuss which topics on the TRIPS Council's agenda 
could be taken forward in virtual meetings or through alternative /written procedures. In particular, 
as regards non -violation complaints, delegations had seen  no urgency to resume discussions at th at 
stage in light of the postponement of MC12. Some delegations ha d however suggested that the time 
could be used to discuss the matter informally to prepare for when physical meetings c ould be 
resumed. The Chair ha d indicated that she w ould continue to engage with Members on th e issue.  
2.5.  Concerning the Ministerial outcomes on Agriculture , the only development to report was a firs t 
recourse to the Bali Ministerial Decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes. One 
Member had notified the Committee on Agriculture on 31 March that it had exceeded the de minimis  
level for rice for the marketing year 2018 -2019 and that it had been  covered by the Interim Solution 
set out in the Bali Decision9 and in the subsequent General Council Decision of November 201410. 
The information submitted under the Decision w ould be considered by the Committee on Agriculture.  
 
5 At the request of  the delegations of Egypt and Gabon, their  statement s under this item are incorporated 
in the minutes of this meeting and can be found in Annex 1 of this report . 
6 The Chair man's statement was circulated in document JOB/GC/ 232. 
7 India and South Africa.  
8 Australia ; Canada ; Chile; Colombia ; Hong Kong,  China; Iceland ; Republic of Korea ; New Zealand ; 
Norway; Singapore;  Switzerland and Uruguay . 
9 This Bali Ministerial Decision can be found in WT/MIN(13)/38.  
10 WT/L/939.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  2.6.  On Preferential Rules  of Origin for LDCs , the Committee on Rules of Origin had met on 5 March. 
At that meeting, the LDC Group had asked for a "stocktaking exercise" to assess how the Decision 
had been implemented and what the gaps had been . The intention had been  to transmit t hat 
assessment to MC12 for further work on the simplification of Rules of Origin. At that meeting, there 
had been  a general understanding that an assessment could be undertaken.  On Aid for Trade , the 
CTD Chair had held an information webinar on 27 May for Members on the actions being taken by 
international financial institutions to support COVID -19 response and recovery.  
2.7.  He had also noted that he had held a virtual meeting with the Chairs of regular bodies on  
27 May and that they had  had a useful discussion on a range of matters , including the issues that 
he had just reported on but also more broadly on key issues for their collective work in 2020  – 
including  working methods in WTO bodies in the current circumstances and discussions t aking place 
in regular bodies on COVID -19 related matters. He looked forward to continuing to engage with the 
Chairs of all regular bodies to explore synergies and possibilities to enhance coordination in particular 
in those challenging times.  
2.8.  The represen tative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , said that  the Ministerial decisions which ha d 
been taken in the past in favo ur of the LDCs' better integration into world trade remain ed a priority. 
It was a  priority for the LDCs and their  economies to experience the full operationalization of 
decisions relating in particular to DFQF  market access, the services waiver in favo ur of LDC service 
providers and preferential rules of origin in favo ur of LDCs. The outcomes that were  achieve d on 
those trade issues following i mportant negotiations should  be concretely reali sed on the ground.  
2.9.  The LDCs thanked preference -granting Members who ha d made effective progress in 
implement ing the decisions taken in favo ur of LDCs. They encourage d those who ha d not yet done 
so to follow suit  and we re counting on LDC s' trading partner s to support them in achieving and 
improving their exports which were expected to flow from the preferences granted  – as they needed 
to increase their utilization of the preferences granted in their favour .  
2.10.   The LDCs  had made recommendations in th at regard  and welcome d the work that they had 
carried out jointly with the Members and the Secretariat with the aim of achieving the 
operationalization of the  Ministerial  Decisions  in favour of LDCs . However, t here was more that 
Members  could do to truly achieve their shared  goals of more multilateral integration and better 
economic and social benefits in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.  
2.11.   The representative of the European Union  noted that, o n the Bali Ministerial Decision on Public 
Stockholding  for Food Security Purposes,  a Member ha d invoked th at Bali Ministerial Decision for the 
first time. The European Union was currently examining the relevant domestic support notificat ion 
and accompanying data  and looked forward to a review of the notification in the Committee on 
Agriculture taking into account the requirements of the Bali Decision.  
2.12.   On the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition , there were still three  Members who ha d not 
yet submitted their schedule notifications. The European Union urge d the Members concerned to 
submit the necessary schedule modifications as soon as possible.  
2.13.   The representative of Switzerland  said that  the working paper in WT/GC/W/799 entitled 
"Broaden ing and deepening the discussions on the Moratorium on imposing customs duties on 
electronic transmissions " had been circulated on 26 March ,  sponsor ed of Australia; Canada; Chile; 
Colombia; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; the Republic of Korea; New Zealand; No rway; Singapore; 
Uruguay and Switzerland. Switzerland was  pleased to announce that Thailand was also joining the 
paper as a co -sponsor.  
2.14.   The submission aim ed at captur ing and highlight ing essential elements of the study issued in 
November 2019 by the OECD on electronic transmissions and international trade. Switzerland's  
intention was not to enter t hat day in an in -depth exchange that the co -sponsors  reserve d for the 
structured discussions  on the moratorium. Switzerland  instead underline d that the OECD study 
feature d some valuable tools to assess the impact of the moratorium in a more holistic manner such 
as a welfare analysis showing not only the revenue loss for the government but also th e welfare 
surplus for consumers in the absence of duties on electronic transmissions.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  2.15.   The study also provide d important elements on the negative effects of tariffs on productivity 
and employment, and t ook a look at non -discriminatory and more stable taxes such as VAT or Goods 
and Services Tax. The study also place d potential revenue implications into a broader perspective. 
The working paper WT/GC/W/799 capture d those elements that the co -sponsors  consider ed 
important to inform the discussions. Switzerland a nd the co -sponsors  were therefore looking forward 
to engag ing with the membership at the open -ended meeting on the moratorium that was tentatively 
scheduled for mid -July. 
2.16.   The General Council took note  of the Chair man's report and of the statements.  
3  WORK PROGRAMME ON SM ALL ECONOMIES – REPO RT BY THE CHAIR MAN  OF THE 
DEDICATED SESSION OF  THE COMMITTEE ON TR ADE AND DEVELOPMENT  
3.1.  The Chair man recalled that in line with the agreement in the General Council in 2002, the Work 
Programme on Small Economies was a standing item on the agenda and the Committee on Trade 
and Development reported regularly to the Council on the progress of work in its Dedicated Sessions. 
In Buenos Aires, Ministers had adopted a Decision reaffirming their commitment to th e Work 
Programme and instructing the CTD to continue its work in Dedicated Sessions under the overall 
responsibility of the General Council.  
3.2.  Ambassador Mohammad Qurban Haqjo (Afghanistan ), Chairman of the Dedicated Session of 
the CTD , recalled that  a meeti ng of the CTD 's Dedicated Session on Small Economies was supposed 
to be held on 26 March with the main purpose of providing the opportunity for the Dedicated Session 
to agree on a text for an MC12 Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme of Small Economi es. 
That would have permitted the Dedicated Session to adopt its report to the General Council which 
was the usual practice in the run -up to a Ministerial Conference . The formal meeting of the Dedicated 
Session was supposed to be  followed on the same day b y a seminar on the opportunities and 
challenges for small economies in attracting investments.  
3.3.  In light of the COVID -19 outbreak and the resulting suspension of all meetings at the WTO, 
neither the formal meeting of the Dedicated Session nor the seminar o n attracting investments could 
be held on 26 March. As MC12 itself ha d also been postponed, he would  need to explore with the 
SVE Group how the proponents would wish to take things forward in the Dedicated Session in the 
coming months. On th at basis, he would be able to determine when the next meeting of the 
Dedicated Session could  be held.  
3.4.  The representative of Vanuatu , on behalf of the Pacific Group , associate d with the statement 
to be made by the SVEs. While the cancellation of the Dedicated Session to discuss investment 
attraction had been  unavoidable, the Pacific Group  underline d the importance of the Work 
Programme on Small Economies  as the Pacific Group consist ed of small, open economies dependent 
on narrow range of exports and were highly susceptible to external economic and other shocks such 
as the COVID -19 pandemic.  
3.5.  The lessons from COVID -19 ha d reinforced the Pacific Group's  vulnerability to depending 
heavily on imports and on a few key sectors like tourism which had suffered significant  and 
immediate downturn. Members of the Pacific  Group ha d also had to cope with the devastation of 
tropical cyclones with the Category Five Cyclone Harold at the hype of the COVID preparations  – a 
stark reminder that their region was always in the frontlin e of climate change – expos ing thei r 
vulnerabilities.  
3.6.  While the Pacific G roup ha d improved capacity for disaster preparedness, cyclones were 
becoming more severe and more frequent. As Members  prepare d to resume work in the coming 
months, the Pacific Group called on the support of other Members to help rebuild the Pacific Group's 
econom ies in light of  COVID -19 in addition to discuss ing ways in the dedicated session on how to 
build economic resilience and further integrate SVEs into the multilateral trading s ystem.  
3.7.  The representative of Mauritius  associate d with the statement to be made by the SVEs. It was 
clear that small, vulnerable economies including small island developing States like Mauritius were 
being hit hard by COVID -19 with wide ranging impacts which range d from food security, health 
security and trade, among others. Their vulnerability due to their high dependence on international  
trade which was due to small domestic markets, remoteness from their main trading partners, the WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  low diversif ication, the fact that they were faced with the impact of climate change and natural 
disaster – those would be further exacerbated by COVID -19. 
3.8.  Consequently, the socio -economic impacts that the SVEs  were going to face w ould be serious 
and long -lasting as their authorities struggle d to respond to rising unemployment and unprecedented 
economic downturn. The proposed session on investment attraction ha d become even more relevant 
and timely as the inflow of FDIs would be crucial in helping small economies in re sponding to the 
crisis. Mauritius  therefore request ed that the session be held as early as feasible  and that the work 
programme be further strengthened to take into account the unforeseen impact s of the pandemic 
which were often going to be disastrous on S VEs and on SIDS.  
3.9.  The representative of Saint Lucia , on behalf of CARICOM , said that CARICOM  members 
continue d to grapple with COVID -19 related health and economic crises and the imminent threat of 
yet another Atlantic Hurricane season as CARICOM was  remind ed of its unique and acute 
vulnerabilities. While the people represented by the members of CARICOM  were resilient, the 
pandemic ha d exposed them to unprecedented levels of economic uncertainty including challenges 
relating to accessing financing  to respond to the health and economic crises.  
3.10.   The economic fallout ha d called into question the capacity of the central government to meet 
debt-related c ommitments and sustain national social protection programmes.  The crisis ha d called 
into question CARICOM's  capacity to effectively participate in global trade. Given th ose realties, it 
was incumbent on the CARICOM Group to remind the membership that the W ork Programme on 
Small Economies had been  conceived as a mechanism to identify trade -related measures that could 
improve the integration of small economies into the multilateral trading system.  
3.11.   The CARICOM Group was disappointed with the slow progress made  towards mainstreaming 
development provisions relevant to small vulnerable economies into the WTO rulemaking 
architecture – provisions that would provide the policy space and flexibility necessary to respond to 
external threats such as COVID -19, rebuild af ter climate -related events and restore important 
linkages to global value chains.  
3.12.   As restrictions were eased and a new normal emerge d, the CARICOM Group s ought  more 
purposeful engagement on the work programme  – an engagement that was energi sed by deepening  
and intensifying Members'  discussions on key themes that support ed the building of resilience 
through trade. As the Caribbean  region prepare d to contend with an active 2020 hurricane season, 
CARICOM  urged Members to accelerate the work on the link between  natural disasters and trade – 
a link which the  Secretariat through its research work ha d confirmed as having deleterious impacts 
on the trade and macroeconomic performance including the debt profiles of many small economies.  
3.13.   The COVID -19 pandemic ha d illustrated the importance of digital technology and connectivity 
in conducting commercial activities. The pandemic ha d highlighted the technical limitations of small 
economies insofar as their capacity to effectively participate in the digital economy. A numb er of 
technical deficits w ould need to be bridged in order to accelerate CARICOM's  participation in global 
trade  – further underscor ing the need for a deeper conversation on how best small economies c ould 
close the digital divide and more meaningfully part icipate in trade through digital platforms.  
3.14.   The CARICOM Group look ed forward to playing an active role in the CTD 's Dedicated Session 
and in so doing would contribute to the Work Programme in the expectation that Members'  work 
would enable a more meaningful participation of small economies in international trade.  
3.15.   The representative of El Salvador , on behalf of the SVEs commended Ambassador Ford  for 
his leader ship and valuable work in the CoA SS. Concerning  the agenda item,  the SVEs  had presented 
a proposal for a Ministerial Decision on the Work Programme on Small Economies to the Dedicated 
Session of the CTD on 1 November 2019 including new topics for  future w ork. The SVEs had  also 
proposed the organization of a session on investment attraction which had been  supported by the 
Members of the Committee through consultations conducted by the former Chair. It was supposed 
to take place back to back with the Dedicat ed Session on 26 March.  
3.16.   Unfortunately, the Dedicated Session had been  suspended as well as the session on 
investment attraction given the current exceptional circumstances. Both the future decision of the 
work programme and the discussion of such an import ant topic for the SVEs as was the investment WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  attraction especially in times of COVID -19 were of utmost relevance for the group. The SVEs  would 
engage with the Chair in the near future to put forward some ideas on how Members  could make 
progress in th ose issues so he c ould hold consultations with Members on the way forward.  
3.17.   The SVEs emphasi sed the additional needs of the most vulnerable Members arising from the 
COVID -19 health crisis. The crisis was impacting the economies at a global level irrespective of their 
levels of development. Nonetheless, small and vulnerable economies were at high risk of suffering 
the most from the effects of the pandemic. The SVEs'  economic development and growth project ions 
had plummeted and they foresaw difficulties in all areas of their development. The SVEs therefore  
appeal ed to all Members to provide the necessary support to overcome the results of the current 
COVID -19 pandemic in particular through humanitarian aid and through funds such as Aid for Trade. 
The SVEs looked forward to using the CTD Dedicated Session for Small Economies as a platform for 
discussion on ways to rebuild their economies and to enhance their participation in world trade.  
3.18.   The representative of  Barbados  associate d with the statements made by the SVEs and 
CARICOM. While the situation surrounding the COVID -19 pandemic ha d meant that Members  were 
unable to hold a dedicated session on small economies as planned, Barbados  was pleased to see 
that Memb ers had  found innovative ways to further some aspects of their work in the regular bodies. 
Barbados  therefore look ed forward to convening the planned discussions on investment attraction, 
small economies, opportunities and challenges.  
3.19.   Small economies were amongst those most severely impacted by the pandemic. Their 
response and recovery efforts in th at regard w ould be an important contribution to their fuller 
integration into the multilateral trading system. The Work Programme on Small Economies and the 
CTD Dedicated Session on Small Economies were more relevant now, more than ever,  and w ould 
continue to serve indispensable features of the WTO's work going forward.  
3.20.   Climate change continue d to be an existential threat to many SVEs – both in the Caribbean, 
Pacific and abroad. Even in the face of the crippling health and economic impacts of the pandemic 
on their people and their economies, over the next few months, the SVEs could be confronted with 
a severe climate event which as history ha d shown ha d grown in  frequency and intensity over the 
last number of years. There was an undeniable link between the nexus of trade and climate change 
and trade and natural disasters. Barbados  therefore look ed forward to the dedicated discussions on 
trade and natural disaster s as had been proposed by the SVEs in 2019 . 
3.21.   The General Council took note  of the CTD Chair's report and of the statements.  
4  TWELFTH SESSION OF T HE MINISTERIAL CONFE RENCE – DATE AND VEN UE – 
STATEMENT BY THE CHA IRMAN  
4.1.  The Chair man said that under this item his intention was to provide Members with an update 
on his ongoing consultations on the date of MC12 , which he was undertaking in light of the recent 
developments since the last General Council meeting in March. He recalled that  the General Council 
had agreed that MC12 would take place in Nur -Sultan, Kazakhstan, from 8 to 11 June 2020. 
Following the outbreak of the COVID -19 pandemic and further to an earlier communication from 
Kazakhstan that MC12 could not take place as scheduled,  the Director -General and he had  conducted 
consultations on a possible new date for MC12 and had circulated a report in document JOB/GC/227. 
Those consultations, as he had  also noted in his statement at the Informal HODs virtual meeting on 
17 April which had been  circulated in JOB/TNC/81  had shown that it had been  very difficult to 
envisage the Ministerial Conference at the end of th e year. The options of June 2021 or 
December  2021 could be envisaged depending on the availability of a suitable venue.  
4.2.  Subseq uently, on 27 April, Kazakhstan had circulated a communication in WT/GC/209 
confirming that it had remained ready to host MC12 in June 2021 in Nur -Sultan. In the same 
communication, Kazakhstan had also asked him as the Chairman of the General Council to co nduct 
consultations on its proposal. Following th at request and Kazakhstan's offer, he had  held conference 
call consultations with several delegations including the coordinators of large groups between 
28 April – 7 May. Th ose consultations ha d shown that a ll delegations welcome d Kazakhstan' s offer. 
Delegations, including constituencies of large groups, were looking at being flexible and no specific 
objection had been  made to holding the Conference in June 2021.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  4.3.  During the consultations, many delegations had also expressed an interest in already setting a 
specific date as th at would be helpful in guiding and driving the work across the relevant areas of 
the WTO' s substantive agenda – as well as in facilitating the  necessary logistical preparations. Some 
delegations had made reference to other expected events on the international calendar for 
June 2021 so that efforts c ould be made to avoid scheduling conflicts to the extent that it was 
possible.  
4.4.  However, a number o f delegations had also expressed concerns that the evolution of the 
COVID -19 pandemic remain ed uncertain at th at time and that any date set would necessarily need 
to be considered as a "working hypothesis" subject to an ongoing evaluation and review as con ditions 
became clearer closer to the time – possibly later in the  year or in early 2021.  
4.5.  As it had been  the case for the earlier consultations he had  conducted with the Director -
General, th ose latest conversations ha d also shown a broad interest to see a r eturn to the traditional 
pattern of Ministerial Conferences taking place at the end of the year, every second year. Therefore, 
that would suggest  that, if MC12 t ook place in June 2021 , MC13 would logically take place in 
December 2023.  
4.6.  He noted that a  forma l decision about the new date for MC12 w ould need to be taken by the 
General Council.  In th at respect, in his consultations , he had  heard a variety  of views about the 
desired timing of th at decision  ranging through as far as the  July GC meeting . He would  therefore 
continue to consult with a view to setting a precise date for MC12 as a "working hypothesis ", and in 
light of the evolution of the circumstances , at or before the July meeting of the General Council.  
4.7.  The representative of Thailand , intervening under Items 4 and 5, supported  the statement to 
be made by ASEAN. The COVID -19 pandemic ha d impacted all  Members  in terms of their people's 
health and wellbe ing, their economies and food security.  In this exceptional circumstance, 
governments should  carefully prioritise and balance their work. Nevertheless, in recent meetings, 
Members ha d expressed a shared belief that the WTO play ed a wider role in mitigating  the negative 
impacts of the pandemic and expediting economic recovery post  COVID -19. It was therefore vital 
that the work of the WTO continued,  and that meaningful outcomes were deliver ed at MC12. To do 
so, the decision on the date and venue should be mad e at the earliest to allow Members to work 
backwards through the availability of a concrete timeframe that would enable all of them to plan 
and organi ze their work based on practical goals and targets for important negotiations.  
4.8.  With regard to  Item 5, the  DG Selection Process  was undoubtedly crucial having  great 
implications for the work of the WTO. The appointment of the next Director -General should be taken 
with great care and urgency to find the best possible candidate in an expedited manner. Thailand 
therefore  support ed the timely establishment of an expedited timeframe for the remaining phases 
of the DG appointment process prior to the closing date of the nomination of candidates in order to 
arrive at a decision on the appointment as early as  possible , preferably by 1 September 2020.  
4.9.  The representative of Botswana , on behalf of the African Group , welcome d the offer by the 
Government of Kazakhstan to host MC12 in June 2021. While it had expressed that the June 2021 
date could be considered as a  working proposal, the African Group  also cautioned  against making a 
hasty determination on the timing for MC12 at th e current  stage in view of the evolving COVID -19 
crisis and the uncertainty it present ed. The timing of MC12 should be informed by the abil ity of all 
Members to effectively participate. Th at was especially the case for Africa,  where the pandemic was 
yet to reach its peak. The African Group  therefore f ound the July meeting of the General Council to 
be a more suitable time to make an assessment  of whether the conditions were adequate for a 
decision on the date for MC12. The African Group remain ed committed to engage constructively with 
the Chair man on the matter and count ed on his continued openness for consultations.  
4.10.   The representative of Jamai ca, on behalf of the ACP Group , intervening under Items 4 and 5,  
convey ed the ACP's  gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for its kind offer to 
host MC12. The convening of Ministerial Conferences was important to the WTO's effective 
functioning especially at th e current  period when the organization was faced with unpr ecedented 
challenges that place d it at a crossroads in its history. Members  therefore were in need of political 
guidance and mandates to streamline their work in the various areas in Geneva. At the same time, 
Members  should recogni ze that they were operati ng in an environment with varying degrees of 
uncertainties due to the COVID -19 pandemic. As a result, they should seek to mitigate any risk to a WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  successful MC12 by remaining conscious of the impact of developments on the ground including in 
the capital s and any COVID -19 international travel restrictions that could  be put in place.  
4.11.   Any date put forward  at that tim e should remain  a working proposal. It w ould also be in the 
best interest of the WTO to ensure that a proposed date afford ed Geneva -based delegatio ns 
adequate time to make sufficient progress in areas in respect of which they were seeking the 
decisions of Ministers. The ACP Group  therefore welcome d the Chair man's undertaking to continue 
consultations. The ACP also recommend ed that Members  avoid ed committing to a date that was in 
very close proximity to the convening of UNCTAD 15 due to inter alia the strain in the small 
delegations to prepare for and finance participation in th ose two Conferences in quick succession 
especially given that most of their delegations ha d the same delegates covering both UNCTAD and 
WTO issues. To address th at concern, it was important for coordination to be effective between the 
WTO and UNCTAD as well as other organizations such as the WHO and the ILO, the latter for exampl e 
having already scheduled its Labour Conference for June 2021.  
4.12.   With regard to Item 5, the ACP Group indicate d its readiness to engage on th at file with the 
view to contributing to the efforts to facilitate a fair, transparent and inclusive process for electing 
an interim Director -General and/or a new Director -General. The ACP appreciated  the contribution 
that Director -General Azevêdo ha d made to the WTO and his creative efforts to adap t the 
management of the Secretariat to evolving realities. The ACP  acknowledge d the need to make the 
transition process as seamless and as efficient as possible  and thank ed the Chair man for putting 
that item on the agenda for th e meeting so that Members c ould express their views on the options 
available. The ACP  took note of the Chairman's  interest in having the transition process completed 
as soon as possible  and urged him to ensure that the transition process remain ed Member -driven.  
4.13.   The ACP Group  also urg ed the Chairman  to continue to ensure that the pace at which Members  
proceed ed did not take away from the high standard of transparency and inclusivity that they had 
become accustomed to. The ACP  called on the Membership to proceed with th e process in a ma nner 
that facilitate d an equal opportunity for all candidates who so desire d to put their candidacy forward. 
The COVID -19 pandemic w ould present some unique challenges to the process. It was not beyond 
Members'  ability to address them in a fair and balance d manner. The ACP Group  would want to have 
all nominees to be given a fair opportunity to present their ideas to officials in capitals and 
delegations in Geneva alike virtually or otherwise. The WTO was at a crossroads and the outcome 
of the process w ould play a key role in how they move d forward.  
4.14.   The representative of Paraguay  interven ed under Items 4 and 5 . He first  extended heartfelt 
thanks to Ambassador Ford who, as Chair of the CoA SS, had made significant efforts from the very 
beginning to make progress in the very difficult agriculture negotiations showing constructive 
leadership which was sorely needed in the o rganization.  
4.15.   With regard to Item 4, Paraguay thank ed and supported  Kazakhstan for offering again  to host 
MC12 in Nur -Sultan  when circumstances permit ted either in June or December 2021.  The holding of 
MC12 should be constantly evaluated by Members , taking  into account the priorities and resources 
of their governments in 2021 which would  revolve around the management  of the health  crisis 
generated by COVID -19 and the recovery  of the ir econom ies after the pandemic . Paraguay called 
on Members to  take into acc ount national restrictions on travel and the movement of people and to 
reflect on possible contingency plans in the face of  uncertainty.  
4.16.   With regard to Item  5, Paraguay thanked  Ambassador Walker for propo sing to expedite the 
deadlines  for the appointment o f the new Director -General . Paraguay supported the process led by 
the Chairman including any possible expedited deadlines. As a  defender of the multilateral trad ing 
system, Paraguay reiterate d its commitment to the work of th e organization and encourage d the 
Membership to redouble its efforts in order to obtain concrete results that would allow them to mark 
a turning point  in the history of the WTO.  
4.17.   The representative of Brazil  thank ed Kazakhst an for offering to host MC12 by mid -2021 and 
support ed that offer. Brazil was  ready to start working on a negotiation package for MC12. Members  
had been presented with a second chance – one more year to prepare a package that include d as 
initial priorities  negotiations in agriculture including domestic support and SPS provisions; the 
conclusion of fisheries subsidies; JSIs on e -commerce, domestic regulation and investment WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  facilitation; horizontal disciplines that w ould level the playing field in trade rules ; transparency and 
notifications. Members  should not waste th at opportunity.  
4.18.   The representative of Viet Nam , on behalf of ASEAN , intervening  under Items 2, 4 and 5, said 
that ASEAN reaffirm ed its full support for open, inclusive, transparent, non -discriminatory and rules -
based multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO.  Discussions on WTO reform should  continue 
to ensure that the WTO remain ed relevant in the rapidly evolving global enviro nment especially 
given the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic on trade, supply chains and government policies. ASEAN  
would cooperate with other Members to elect a new CoA SS Chair.  
4.19.   With regard to Item 2, ASEAN appreciate d Members' efforts in implementing the Ministerial 
Decision from Bali, Nairobi and Buenos Aires. ASEAN  hoped that all of th ose Ministerial Decisions 
would be fully implemented so that the LDCs w ould reap tangible and meaningful benefits.  
4.20.   With regard to Item 4, ASEAN appreciate d the offer of the  Government of Kazakhstan to host 
the Twelfth Ministerial Conference in June 2021. ASEAN  support ed a favourable decision on 
Kazakhstan's offer to set a date and venue of MC12 as it g ave impetus to their work and enable d 
them to chart a clearer course towar ds MC12.  
4.21.   With regard to Item 5, ASEAN thank ed the General Council Chairman for his communication 
in document JOB/GC/230 to launch the Appointment Process for the next Director -General  of the 
WTO. Given the circumstances and challenges faced by the WTO on t he global economy as a whole, 
ASEAN commit ted itself to close cooperation and coordination with other Members to achieve 
consensus on the appointment of a new Director -General as early as possible on the basis of merit 
and competence.  
4.22.   The representative of  the Republic of Korea  noted that the current challenges underline d the 
significance and importance of MC12. It would be a crucial occasion to display the resilience and 
relevance of th e WTO and an important steppingstone  for longer  term WTO reform. In addition, it 
would provide a concrete target towards which the Members c ould work constructively and 
cooperatively with each other. The renewed offer from Kazakhstan to host MC12 in 2021  had been  
duly noted. The Republic of Korea  looked forward to a more c oncrete discussion with other Members 
and a decision on the date and venue of MC12 at a General Council meeting going forward.  
4.23.   The representative of Hong Kong, China  thank ed Kazakhstan for proposing again to host MC12 
in June 2021. While there could be inevitable  uncertainties on the pandemic in 2021 , it was the right 
time to plan ahead for holding MC12 at an earliest practicable time while continuing to monitor the 
situation . In the meantime, the postponement of MC12 d id not necessarily mean that Members  had 
to put on hold all the possible deliverables that they had been working so hard for. While Members 
continue d to deliberate on the arrangements for MC12, Hong Kong, China encourage d Members to 
be creative and flexible in exploring different ways to advance work in various areas. By faithfully 
carrying out its functions, the WTO c ould help mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on 
international trade flows and create a  conducive environment for the recovery of the global economy.  
4.24.   The representative of Barbados  thank ed Kazakhstan for its continued  commitment to host 
MC12  and acknowledge d the importance of convening that very important Ministerial Conference  
given the threats and challenges that ha d plagued the multilateral trading system and by extension 
the WTO in recent times. Barbados  was confident that in due course, Members  would arrive at an 
agreement on the date and venue of the next Ministerial Conference. Over  the last few months, 
Members  had paid and adapted attention to a new normal in terms of the way in which they worked. 
That had not necessarily been conducive to them being able to undertake all level s of discourse that 
predicate d them taking decisions and  there remain ed much uncertainty surrounding how the 
pandemic w ould continue to impact them in Geneva and in their respective capitals.  
4.25.   The critical aspects of the timing of the Conference w ould have to be the reopening of the 
individual capitals noting th at the reaction time for all Members  could  be different and the level of 
progress that they could reasonably foresee in their deliberation in the WTO. Members should be 
cognizant that in light of the extenuating circumstances caused by the pandemic, at 202 1, there 
would be an extraordinarily busy year. It was therefore critical that the timing of MC12 d id not 
conflict with other major meetings on trade and development. Delegations in Geneva would also 
need to consider the timing of UNCTAD 15 in Barbados par ticularly if they were to ensure that MC12 WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  and UNCTAD 15 were given the eminence that they deserve d and to allow for the appropriate, 
adequate time for any negotiations for the outcomes and the necessary preparations for each capital.  
4.26.   Barbados  was acutely aware that for many capitals particularly developing and LDC Members 
with limited capacity in Geneva, the same delegates often cover ed both WTO and UNCTAD issues 
and that for many of th ose countries, their ability to finance and attend two Confere nces held in 
close proximity would most likely be challenging. Barbados was supportive of a decision which w ould 
allow for adequate time to elapse between th ose two very important conferences. There should  
therefore be close collaboration and consultation between UNCTAD and the WTO. Barbados ha d 
listened carefully to the Chair man's statements and those of other Members. Barbados  welcome d 
the opportunity to revisit the date and venue for MC12 as the situation bec ame clearer.  
4.27.   The representative of Tanzania , intervening under Items 4 and 5,  associate d with the 
statements made by the African Group and the ACP. She express ed her desire to maintain the 
excellent relations existing between Tanzania and the WTO  and assure d Members of her 
government's continued commi tment to the pursuit of welfare  and an  equitable and inclusive rules -
based multilateral trading system that ensure d development of all Members.  
4.28.   With regard to Item 4 concerning  the proposal submitted by Kazakhstan to host MC12 in June 
2021, Tanzania  had no objection. Tanzania however  express ed its concern regarding the evolvement 
of the current situation under COVID -19. Tanzania  was uncertain of whether Members  should make 
such a decision during that  meeting when no one kn ew for sure how the situation w ould look like in 
2021. It would therefore  be reasonable and fair to provide Members  more time to asses s the situation 
and to defer the final decision on th at matter  to the next General Council meeting.  
4.29.   With regard to Item 5, Tanzania associate d with the statements made by the African Group 
and the ACP. Tanzania remain ed grateful to the excellent service and commitment of the outgoing  
Director -General. He w ould be remembered by his contribution to the multilateral trading system  
particularly on the historic decisions reached in the Ministerial Conferences in Bali and in Nairobi. 
Tanzania  had received the decision of the Director -General to relinquish his post early with 
astonishment . Tanzania however  respect ed him with his decisi on. The decision c ame with enormous 
challenges to Members especially during COVID -19 pandemic struggles.  
4.30.   The reason behind the proposal to expedite the appointment of the new Director -General was 
good and reasonable. The timeframe between the closure of no minations and relinquishment of the 
post by the Director -General was however relatively short – less than two months and with the 
summer break in between. Any approach adopted in th at process should guarantee Members that 
the new Director -General w ould be appointed before the departure of the incumbent. At the same 
time, it was worthwhile to consider following the normal procedure as it relate d to meeting the 
candidates and affording Members sufficient time to be consulted.  
4.31.   The representative of  the Russian Federation  bade farewell to Ambassador Ford who had been 
leading the CoA SS with the highest level of professionalism and fairness.  The Russian Federation 
welcome d and support ed the proposal  of Kazakhstan to host MC12 in June 2021. The reservations  
mentioned by several delegations were quite relevant and understandable. Defining the exact date 
in June 2021 while co nsider ing those da tes as "working hypothesis" w ould be the right decision.  
4.32.   The representative of  the Dominican Republic  thanked Ambassado r Ford for his leadership 
and work in trying to move forward the agriculture negotiations.  The Dominican Republic recogni zed 
the great progress made by the Swiss Confederation in fighting COVID -19 and thank ed them for 
their efforts in trying to guarantee the health and safety  of all delegations  including through the 
guidelines followed by  organizations . As measures adopted by the Swiss Confederation ha d become 
more flexible , the necessary consultations should take place to understand the Members' positions 
regarding the p ossible resumption of face -to-face meetings before the end of summer. All health 
measures should be  respected in all face -to-face meetings if th ose meetings would recommence 
soon. The Dominican Republic  welcome d the initiative that ha d been put forward by some Members 
in that regard.  
4.33.   Members should  continue with the ir work  that had been left outstanding while respecting 
health measures. Any face -to-face meeting should  meet social and physical distancing measures 
and should  respect the guidelines set by Switzerland. If  Members could not hold meetings of the WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  various bodies at the same time, face -to-face as in the past, then hybrid mechanisms should be 
considered so  that they could have the ir work move forward in order to  meet the objectives that 
they had set thems elves in particular in the  lead up to MC12.  
4.34.   The representative of India said that d eciding the date of the much delayed Twelfth  Ministerial 
Conference rema ined a matter of urgent priority for the membership. India thank ed Kazakhstan for 
its early decision to re -offer hosting MC12 in June 2021 at Nur -Sultan despite the continued global 
uncertainty associated with the C OVID -19 pandemic. Since th at was the only offer on the table,  the 
Membership should seriously consider accepting th at proposal subject to global public health 
conditions being suitable for all delegations to participate in the meeting.  
4.35.   The certainty of dates for MC12 ha d the advantage of allo wing Members  to work collectively 
towards implementing a work plan with appropriate markers and ambition for outcomes by then.  
An early decision on th e issue w ould also help mute criticism that the WTO ha d not held a Ministerial 
Conference at a critical t ime when both trade and the rules -based multilateral system ha d been 
under serious threat.  
4.36.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  commended the Chairman for his efforts in consulting 
Members on this matter and register ed Chinese Taipei's  willingness to join the emerging consensus 
for Kazakhstan to host MC12 in 2021  and looked forward to a successful MC12 in Nur -Sultan . 
4.37.   The representative of Ecuador , intervening under Items 4 and 5 commended Ambassador 
Ford for his work in leading the agriculture negotiations and hoped that all of his efforts would lead 
to a significant outcome in agriculture in 2021.  Ecuador associated with the statement made by the 
SVEs under Item 3 and acknowledged the efforts of the Dire ctor-General, the Chairs of the WTO 
bodies and the Members that  led the Joint Initiatives. Ecuador reaffirmed  its commitment to all the 
work within th e organization and w as determined to move forward  while taking into account  the 
severe limitations  imposed  during this period . 
4.38.   With regard to Item 4, Ecuador thank ed the Government of Kazakhstan for its generous offer 
to host MC12 in 2021 and hope d the circumstances around the world by then would  enable Members  
to travel and attend the Conference . At the same time, Members should be  open to any possible 
changes that could  be required so that they could fully and effectively participate at MC12 . Ecuador  
would continue to work effectively to try to ensure that the outcome s at MC12  would be  substantial.  
4.39.   With regar d to Item 5, Members should  ensure , particularly given the current circumstances,  
that the transition between the incoming and the outgoing Director -General would be  as smooth and 
as rapid as possible. Ecuador  assure d the Chair man and the Members of  its support for the changes 
introduced by the Chair man and for any amendments that could  be required to the timeframe 
established for the Appointment of the Director -General. In th at process,  the Chairman should  
ensure transparency and full participation of Members.  
4.40.   The representative of Cameroon  welcome d the new offer from the Government of Kazakhstan 
to host MC12. Cameroon  had no reservations as had been indicated in the statements made by the 
African Group and  the ACP. Members  should not however set a fixed date for the Ministerial 
Conference at th at time because they needed to ensure that there was a possibility to consider other 
events that they could  be involved in, such as UNCTAD 15. Apart from the date, th e success of the 
Conference should  be their priority if they were to build an organization that t ook into account the 
great expectations that many Members ha d had in th e organization for so long.  
4.41.   The representative of  the European Union  thank ed Kazakhstan for its offer. Members should 
urgently  set a date so they could already start planning. Such date  would be under constant review  
to assess the situation. There was no reason not to fix a date as early as possible . The European 
Union  agree d with the suggestion of taking that decision  at the G eneral Council meeting  in July.  
4.42.   The representative of Nigeria  associate d with the statements made by the African Group and 
the ACP. Nigeria ha d no objection s for MC12 to take place in Kazakhstan. Nigeria  thank ed 
Kazakhstan for its kind offer.  The timing was however  too early to be determined in view of the 
current global challenges of COVID -19. No one ha d certainty of how soon it w ould allow Members to 
freely attend such international meetings. For the sake of having a w ork plan, Nigeria  could however 
work with the one proposed which was  June 2021.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  4.43.   The representative of Afghanistan , intervening under Items 4 and 5,  said that Afghanistan 
fully support ed Kazakhstan's o ffer to host MC12 in June 2021 in Nur -Sultan and thank ed Kazakhstan 
for the proposal. Given the importance of the event and the fact that for the first time a Ministerial 
Conference ha d been planned to be convened in a city of an Article XII Member and in the c entral 
Asian region, Afghanistan  encourage d all Members to extend their support to Kazakhstan's offer.  
4.44.   With regard to Item 5 , Afghanistan expresse d its regret on the decision of Director -General 
Azevêdo  to depart earlier from his position. Afghanistan howe ver associate d itself with the 
Chairman's  statement and support ed the  initiation of a rapid appointment process of the new 
Director -General in accordance with the relevant procedures.  
4.45.   The representative of Singapore  bade farewell to Ambassador Ford and tha nked him for his 
sterling efforts in steering the CoA SS. Concerning the date and venue of MC12, Singapore thank ed 
Kazakhstan for its generous offer. Members  needed to agree on the date as soon as possible so that 
they could be fair to Kazakhstan as the ho st in order to facilitate its preparations. It would likewise 
give greater clarity to all of them in terms of the ir work in the lead up to MC12 . Recognising that the 
current COVID -19 pandemic situation was still fluid and uncertainties remain ed, Members should 
nevertheless  come to a decision quickly while recognising that the decision w ould not be carved in 
stone and that there should be flexibility.  
4.46.   The representative of Kazakhstan  thanked Ambassador Ford in particular for his dedication, 
enthusiasm and hard work as the CoA SS Chair to make  progress in the agriculture negotiations.  
Kazakhstan had taken note of all statements in support of Kazakhstan's new proposal with a new 
date and of the reservation s expressed in the statement regarding the overall public health situation 
related to COVID -19. Kazakhstan  stood ready to engage with delegations if there were any questions 
or any new ideas with regard to the date and venue of MC12.  
4.47.   The General Council took note  of the Chair man's report and of the statements.  
5  PROCESS OF APPOINTME NT OF THE NEXT DIREC TOR-GENERAL – STATEMENT BY THE 
CHAIR MAN  
5.1.  The Chairman recalled that , following the announcement made by the Director -General on 
14 May that he w ould step down on 31 August 2020 , at the end of the Special General Council 
meeting on 15 May, he had indicated that he would be immediately engaging with Members with a 
view to initiating as soon as possible a process for the appointment of a new  Director -General, as 
set out in the Procedures for the Appointment of Directors -General adopted by the General Council 
in 2002 and contained in WT/L/509.  
5.2.  On 18 May , he had  sent a first communication to all Members. Subsequently, on 20 May he 
had circulate d the communication in JOB/GC/230 in accordance with the Procedures formally 
notifying Members of the start of the process on 8 June. In line with Paragraph 8 of the Procedures, 
Members sh ould have one month to nominate candidates  – that was until 8 July. The Procedures 
also provide d that nominations sh ould be submitted by Members only and in respect of their own 
nationals. Immediately after 8 July, he would  circulate a consolidated list of candidates. Th at would 
conclude what he would call "Phase One" of t he process.  
5.3.  What could be called "Phase Two" of the process provide d that "the candidates shall have three 
months to make themselves known to Members".  Th at phase also involve d a Special General Council 
meeting "as early as possible"  after the closing of the nomination period – that was after the closing 
of Phase 1 where the candidates w ould be invited to make presentations including on their vision for 
the WTO followed by a question -and-answer session.  
5.4.  And lastly, "Phase Three" of the process was the cons ensus -building phase.  Following 
Paragraph 8 of the Procedures, t hat Phase "shall be devoted to selecting and appointing one of the 
candidates" through a consultation period to , following Paragraph 15 of the Procedures,  "narrow 
down the field of candidates"  to arrive at a choice for appointment. In th at phase, the Chair man of 
the General Council would be  assisted by the Chairs of the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade 
Policy Review Body, acting as Facilitators. They w ould be Ambassador Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and 
Ambassador Harald Aspelund (Iceland), respectively. As had been set out in Paragraph 6 of the 
Procedures, the Chair man and the Facilitators ' aim w ould be to encourage and facilitate the building WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  of consensus and assist Members in moving from the initial field of candidates to a final decision on 
appointment. As per Paragraph 15 of the Procedu res, th at phase was to be completed within two 
months from when it start ed. 
5.5.  Phase One was fixed to a one -month duration and w ould end on 8 July. And  in his view  the 
General Council meeting with candidates could already  take place in the week of 13 July , in line with 
the Procedures. As for the duration of Phase 2 and Phase 3 he noted that, i n line with Paragraph  23 
of the Procedures which fores aw that in the event of a vacancy in the post, the General Council 
Chair man could  establish expedited deadlines in c onsultation with Members as necessary . He had 
had some initial discussions with group coordinators,  and he would be consulting with Members on 
the matter after th e General Council meeting.  
5.6.  His hope was that Members  could have clarity on the expected durati on of th ose two phases 
by 8 July, i.e. by the end of Phase One  at the latest . That was because he believe d it would only be 
fair to the candidates and to the whole Membership to know by that time what the expected timeline 
for the process w ould be. He also recall ed that in line with Paragraph 1 of the Procedures, th e process 
had to be guided by the best intere sts of the organization, respect for the dignity of the candidates 
and the Members nominating them, and by full transparency and inclusiveness in all stages.  
5.7.  In concluding and as he had  just said, following th e meeting t hat day, he would be looking to 
consult with Members with a view to establishing expedite deadlines as necessary and with the 
objective to have clarity on the timeline for the appointment process by the end of the period for 
nominating candidates.  
5.8.  The representative of Botswana , on behalf of  the African Group , had noted the Chair man's 
intention to explore with the membership the prospect of establishing expedited deadline s and the 
African Group look ed forward to discussing further with him on the practical timeline that c ould be 
agreed , in view of the importance of the post of the Director -General and the crisis facing the 
organization. As Members  move d forward with the DG Selection Process, the African Group  
reiterate d its earlier stated expectation that whatever timelines were adopted, the p rocess should  
be both transparent and inclusive of the participation of all Members.  
5.9.  The African Group  held those principles in high regard as they allow ed them the opportunity to 
be assured that due process was being followed in line with the procedures and that at all times 
Members kn ew what to expect throughout the Selection Process. An inclusive and transparent 
approach was critical to ensure that the DG Selection Process and the incoming D irector -General  
enjoy ed the trust and confidence of all Members and Parties involved. The African Group likewise 
express ed its  confidence in Ambassador Castillo and Ambassador Aspelund in their respective roles 
as Chairs of the DSB and of the TPRB that they w ould help the Chairman  throughout th e process.  
5.10.   The representative of Mongolia , on behalf of the Asian Group of Developing Members , bade 
farewell to Ambassador Ford and Ambassador Deepak and thanked them for their commitment and 
contributions.  The Asian Group of Developing Members  attach ed high importance  to the appointment 
of the next Director -General and support ed the immediate start of the process in light of the 
exceptional situation. The process of Selection and Appointment of the Next Director -General 
including the organization of meetings with all c andidates for the position of the Director -General 
should  be guided by the principles of transparency and inclusiveness as had been set out in the 
Procedures of the Appointment of the Director -General adopted by the General Council in 2002 
contained in doc ument WT/L/509.  
5.11.   The Asian Group of Developing Members recommend ed scheduling not only one meeting in 
July in the week starting from 13 July , but also several meetings onwards , including physical 
meetings with all candidates. In view of the exceptional situation that  Members  were currently 
facing,  the expedited process could  be needed. Important months were ahead  – the months when 
consultations w ould take place  and when the deci sion w ould be taken. The Group  assure d the 
Chair man of its constructive engagement  in that process.  
5.12.   The representative of Brazil  said that there was an  urgent need to expedite the DG  Process 
and to conclude it by the end of August. Th at was a crucial junct ure for the WTO and the multilateral 
trading system , as high-level political leadership w ould be vital for the organization. Members  should  
therefore  be looking for a candidate that matche d the high standards set by D irector -General  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  Azevêdo which include d, among others, the capacity to work together with all Members and construct 
bridges, the respect for Members' positions and the political standing and knowledge for facilitating 
agreement among Members.  
5.13.   The representative of the Dominican Republic  said that Members  needed to initiate a process 
to appoint a new Director -General  as they needed the leadership of a new Director -General to carry 
out the ongoing work in the organization , particularly given the economic impact of the COVID -19 
pandemic . The Dom inican Republic  would follow the guidance of the Chair man that there should be 
a transparent and inclusive process involving all Members. The Dominican Republic  support ed the 
idea of adapting the process of appointing a new D irector -General to the current circumstances while 
still follow ing the relevant procedures adopted by the General Council in 2002.  
5.14.   With the Ministerial Conference being just around the corner and given the current 
circumstances, the deadlines set for th e process could be  shorter than the usual. In appointing a 
new Director -General, consensus should in any case be achieved  through  consultations that should 
be carried out in an inclusive manner. The work involved in  appointing a new D irector -General  was 
important for the benefit of the mul tilateral trading system. The Dominican Republic therefore  
intend ed to participate in th e process and w ould lend its full support to th e process as it had done 
in other areas – also with the support of the Chairs of the DSB and TPRB who would help the G eneral 
Council  Chair man in the process.  
5.15.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  deeply regret ted the early departure of D irector -General  
Azevêdo  and thank ed the him for his consideration which would enable Members  to focus their 
attention in 2021 on the preparations for MC12. Chinese Taipei  support ed the Chair man in his effort 
to establish an expedited timeframe to appoint  the new D irector -General and  urged Members to 
support th at important task. Given the limited time Membe rs had, the candidates should make 
themselves available in any form possible to answer questions from Members during the campaign 
period.  
5.16.   Chinese Taipei  encourage d the Chair man to set a n ambitious goal for each phase that would 
conclude before the end of A ugust so that the new D irector -General  could seamlessly continue 
Members'  valuable work in Geneva. If such goal c ould not be achieved, the acting D irector -General  
should be identified and announced at the earliest date. Chinese Taipei called on Members to work 
closely together to find a new Director -General w ho had both passion and leadership skills and who 
could unite them in moving forward towards  the future.  
5.17.   The representative of Cameroon  associate d with the statements made by the African Group 
and the ACP. Cameroon  assure d the Chair man of its support and welcome d the wisdom with which 
he was conducti ng Members'  work. Cameroon reiterate d its attachment to multilateralism and the 
consensus -building pr ocess enshrined in WTO  Agreements . Cameroon  was deeply convinced that 
building and reinforcing consensus should be a pillar of Members'  decision -making  process now, 
more than ever. Cameroon would therefore  always give due consideration to any solution whic h had 
the approval of all Members.  
5.18.   Rules that govern ed the organization c ould be perceived as general norms and standards 
agreed upon by all Members . They therefore formed the cornerstone of consensus in a rules -based 
organization. Cameroon note d that the selection process had failed so far to a certain extent to 
comply with the rules and procedures that govern ed the appointment of the Directors -General as 
contained in document WT/L/509. Th at opinion had been  conveyed to the Chairman  during his 
consultation s with the African Group.  
5.19.   Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the Procedures outline d the general principles that should guide th e 
process. Paragraphs 1 to 3 provide d that, "(1) The appointment process shall be guided by the best 
interests of the organiz ation, respect for the dignity of the candidates and the Members nominating 
them, and by full transparency and inclusiveness at all stages, building on the best practices 
established over the past years with regard to internal transparency and participatio n of all Members. 
(2) The overriding objective of Members in this process shall be to reach decisions by consensus. 
(3) The process leading up to the decision by the General Council to appoint a Director -General shall 
be conducted by the Chair of the Gener al Council in consultation with Members and in accordance 
with the procedures set out herein."  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  5.20.   In addition, Paragraph 23 of the Procedures state d, "In the event of a vacancy in the post of 
Director -General, the General Council shall designate one of the ex isting Deputy Directors -General 
to serve as Acting Director -General until the appointment of a new Director -General. The Chair of 
the General Council shall initiate, as soon as possible, a process for appointment of a new Director -
General, in keeping with the procedures set out herein, and may establish expedited deadlines as 
necessary in consultation with Members."  
5.21.   Once the post was deemed vacant by the General Council, Paragraph 7 of the Procedures 
applied which implie d that the process should start at th e end of the four -year mandate. Therefore, 
unless there was a contrary decision to th at effect, the General Council should start the selection 
process in the nine months prior to the end of the Director -General's mandate which was the end of 
August. Before  launching th e process, the General Council should  appoint an interim Director -
General. Th at was the point of Paragraph 22 which talk ed about appointing a Deputy Director -
General in the interim period.  
5.22.   Before the Director -General's resignation t ook effect,  Cameroon would  like to know whether 
Members  could already appoint an interim Deputy Director -General , whether communication s about 
the process had already been published in all of the WTO official languages  and whether any 
reservations about the decision -making mechanism ha d been taken into account. While Cameroon  
welcome d the willingness of all Members and of the Chair man to proceed judiciously in th e process, 
it would be worthwhile for Members to be cautious in moving forward  as it wa s their collective 
responsibility to take good decisions. It was also their duty to continue to find ways in which they 
could overcome an y obstacles in their path. Cameroon  had no doubt that th at was the spirit that the 
Chair man was pursuing.  
5.23.   Cameroon ha d always opted for consensus. Therefore, yet again and as always, Cameroon 
would like to continue the process with the mechanisms that ha d already been launched. At the 
same time, Cameroon  did not want to set an unwanted precedent. Cameroon remained ready and 
willing to work together with the Chairman  and with all other delegations in th e Selection Process to 
appoint a new Director -General. Cameroon would also  make its contribution in the interest of 
achieving Members'  common objectives in order to have a tr ansparent system based on solidarity 
which the Director -General sa id he want ed for them. Cameroon  pledge d its support to the Chair man. 
5.24.   The representative of Turkey , intervening under Items 4 and 5,  commended Ambassador Ford 
for his commitment to advance th e agriculture negotiations and lead productive discussions over the 
past two years. Turkey also appreciated Ambassador Deepak for his friendship, sincerity and 
dedication . The WTO ha d been going through certain challenges and moving  forward with the formal 
negotiati ng agenda remain ed a key objective , and there was  still work to do. COVID -19 ha d brought 
about a new landscape with unique problems and challenges  which  would necessitate new 
approaches and solutions. Completing the appointment process of the new D irector -General  as 
smoothly as possible and committing to a target date for MC12 w ould keep Members engaged and 
focused to overcome the current challenges in advancing their work.  
5.25.   With regard to Item 5, t he Director -General's  role to carry the organization forward was 
important and the next  Director -General  would face th at challenge the very first day in office. Turkey  
thank ed Director -General Azevêdo for his leadership and efforts for t he WTO and the multilateral 
trading system for the last seven years. Turkey  hoped that his decision w ould serve its purpose and 
wished him and his family all the best in their future endeavours.  
5.26.   With regard to Item 4, Turkey  thank ed Kazakhstan for renew ing its offer to host MC12  and 
support ed Kazakhstan's bid. Turkey likewise  underst ood the concern raised by some Members on 
trying to determine the exact date s for MC12 due to the  COVID -19 related developments. Turkey  
therefore welcome d the idea to approach t hat matter  from a "working hypothesis" angle  and would 
continue to constructively engage and work with all Members on both processes.  
5.27.   The representative of Zimbabwe  bade farewell to Ambassador Ford and Ambassador Deepak 
and thanked them for their extensive  and deep knowledge.  Zimbabwe associate d with the 
statements made by the African Group and the ACP. On 1 4 May, the Director -General had announced 
his intention to step down from his position on 31 August. Zimbabwe  was grateful for his service to 
the rules -based multilateral trading system. In light of the impending departure o f Director -General 
Azevêdo,  Members should  agree on the procedures and timelines for the Appointment of the next WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  Director -General. Zimbabwe  extend ed its gratitude to the Chair man for taking the initiative and 
beginning the consultations with the view to ensuring a smooth and seamless transition.  
5.28.   The situation Members  found themselves in call ed for reflection, patience and due diligence. 
The challenges that th e WTO faced such as COVID -19, climate change and trade protectionism, 
among others, require d Members  to ensure that they had the right person to take th e organization 
forward. As Members, it was their responsibility to undertake th e process in good faith and for the 
sole objective of attaining the best interest of th e organization. The letter and spirit of the procedures 
outlined in document WT/L/509 remain ed integral in any future selection processes. Th ose 
procedures provide d certainty, transparency and inclusivity as principles which were integral in any 
selection process and ensure d that the organization was led by the best possible candidate.  
5.29.   It would be in the best interest of the WTO and the DG -appointee if that person command ed 
the respect, trust and confidence of the Membership. On proposals to reduce the timelines in the 
Selection Process, Zimbabwe  caution ed against an overly expedited process which could  serve to 
curtail adequate consultations on a bilateral, regional and mu ltilateral level. Prospective candidates 
would need time to reach out to Members who were more often than not preoccupied with mitigating 
the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic. Zimbabwe remain ed flexible and accommodative bearing in 
mind the need for due pro cess and allowing sufficient time for consultations to be carried out.  
5.30.   The representative of Saint Lucia , on behalf of CARICOM , stressed  that, a s Members  
contemplate d the appointment of the next Director -General, the process should  be fair, open and 
transp arent. Members  should  take into account the current challenging environment brought about 
by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Allowing capitals to fully assess candidates w ould be difficult 
particularly given the travel restrictions put in place across the globe.  
5.31.   In the event that such travel restrictions persist ed and ma de face -to-face démarches 
impossible, virtual sessions with candidates  could  be considered by the Secretariat. The next 
Director -General should  be equipped to engage capitals in a meaningful way that buil t consensus in 
order to take forward the work of th e organi zation.  CARICOM st ood ready to play its role in th at very 
important transition phase of the WTO.  
5.32.   The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , noted that a ppointing a new Director -
General was a major responsibility . The LDCs  encourage d the Chair man to ensure that the process 
follow ed the rules and procedures of the WTO  and knew that they could  count on him for th at. The 
LDCs remain ed cautiously optimistic  in that process  even if they had not yet expressed a common 
position given the configuration of the group and its multi -regional nature . The Group nonetheless 
intend ed to take part actively and encourage d all Members to be actively involved in the process. 
The LDCs want ed its concerns to be adequately  taken into account and recall ed the importance of 
having a process that was as inclusive as possible, transparent and equitable for the LDCs.  
5.33.   The representat ive of India wished to place on record India's  deep appreciation of the outgoing 
Director -General's  leadership of the WTO during the last seven  years. India would  always cherish 
his contribution.  India appreciate d that the Chairman  had wasted no time in an nouncing the 
commencement of the Selection Process  and hoped  that throughout th e process, the Chairman  and 
the Facilitators alike w ould strive to ensure that it remain ed a fully transparent and an inclusive 
process in full conformity with the procedures ou tlined in document WT/L/509. India w ould support 
the Chairman's  efforts towards that end.  
5.34.   India understood t he need for completing the selection process as early as possible so that 
the WTO was not devoid of leadership during th at critical period. India therefore  welcome d the 
Chairman's  alacrity in consulting Members and st ood ready to work through the month of August to 
support the work of the WTO including the  DG S election Process. India also hoped that , as the 
Chairman  took the process forward, he would give due consideration to the requests and suggestions 
of developing and LDC Members as they look ed forward to actively participating in the new DG 
Selection Process.  
5.35.   The representative of Canada urged the Chair man and the member ship to complete th e 
process as soon as possible. It was in the best interest of the membership to ensure that there was 
no gap between D irectors -General . Canada  was looking forward to an open, transparent and rigorous 
process  and welcome d all qualified candidates , including in particular women. Canada  would judge WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  all candidates objectively and fairly based on their merits. The next candidate  should  possess a 
number o f characteristics including being a superior communicator, having extensive experience in 
trade policy and in multilateral affairs and hav ing a proven track record in managing a diverse, 
multicultural workplace that promote d inclusiveness and a zero tolera nce policy on discrimination 
and harassment.  
5.36.   The representative of Egypt  bade farewell to Ambassador Ford and Ambassador Deepak and 
wished them both the best in their future endeavours.  Egypt associated with the statement made 
by the African Group and than ked the Chairman for his efforts in leading the process of the 
appointment of the next Director -General. Egypt reiterate d its confidence in the Chair man's ability 
to conduct th e Selection P rocess in a transparent and inclusive manner at all stages. Egypt r egard ed 
the successful conclusion of th e process as an urgent priority and Members should  spare no efforts 
to that end. As for the Chairman's  proposal to expedite the process of appointing the next Director -
General and in accordance with the procedures of 2002, Egypt welcome d his kind endeavours on 
that matter given the current exceptional situation and look ed forward to discuss with him and the 
Members hip any suggested expedited deadlines that serve d the purpose.  
5.37.   The representative of Nigeria  associate d with the statements made by the African Group and 
the ACP  and commend ed the Chair man for the extensive consultations he ha d held to ensure th at 
the views and opinions of Members guide d the DG selection process. Nigeria  took note of the 
Chairman's  desire to explore the possibility of fast -tracking the DG Selection Process given the short 
available time before the exit of the current D irector -General . Nigeria  looked forward to further 
discussions on th e issue with the Chairman  and other Members to e nsure that whatever timeline 
Members  adopt ed, they would  not lose sight of the wisdom of the General Council that underpin ned 
the adoption of the procedures set out in document WT/L/509.  
5.38.   It was also of critical importance that the DG selection process was open, transparent and 
inclusive so as to guarantee equal opportunities for candidates. Th at would not only ensure the 
emergence of the best candidate but would also ensure that the incoming D irector -General  would 
continue to enjoy the support and trust of Members. Nigeria  joined others in expressing its 
confidence in the Chairman  as well as in the Chairs of the DSB and the TPRB who were charged with 
the responsibility of overseeing th e Selection P rocess with the Chair man. 
5.39.   The representative of Cambodia , intervening under Items 4 and 5,  associate d with the 
statements made by ASEAN and the LDCs. Cambodia  thanked the Chair man his efforts and said that 
under the  Chairman's leadership, the selection process w ould be fully transparent and inclusive in 
all stage s. Cambodia  looked forward to supporting the best and most competent candidate to lead 
the organization  and thank ed Director -General Azevêdo for his leadership . 
5.40.   With regard to Item 4, Cambodia fully support ed the proposal of Kazakhstan to hold MC12 in 
June 2021 in Nur -Sultan. Cambodia  commen ded the Chair man for his  consultations and for his 
commitment to upholding a transparent, inclusive, rules-based multilateral trading system.  
5.41.   The representative of South Africa , intervening under Items 4 and 5, associate d with the 
statements made by the Africa n Group and the ACP . South Africa thank ed Director -General  Azevêdo  
for his contribution to the multilateral trading system  and wish ed him well in his future endeavours. 
The selection process should  be fair, inclusive, transparent  and allow for the participation of all and  
for the fair engagement with the candidates including an equal opportunity for the candidates to 
share their vision with Members. The need to find a new D irector -General  as soon as  possible was 
understood  and t he process should  take into account the current challenges p osed by COVID -19. 
South Africa  looked forward to the consultations  with the overall objective of allowing sufficient time 
to find a suitable candidate for the post gi ven the challenges facing the multilateral trading system . 
5.42.   With regard to  Item 4, South Africa  welcome d the offer by Kazakhstan to host MC12. The 
current environment was marked by great uncertainty. No one was certain about the duration of the 
pandemic nor how it w ould evolve across different countries and regions. Moreover, South Africa 
and the African Continent ha d not yet reached the peak of the pandemic . It was therefore premature 
to set the date for MC12  and the General Council should  continue to monit or the developments.  
5.43.   The representative of the European Union  had full trust in the Chairman  and the Chairs of the 
DSB and the TPRB to conduct th at important process in an open, transparent and inclusive manner. WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  The European Union support ed expedited procedures to select the next Director -General. Given t he 
current moment  Members  were living in where they needed to leverage their multilateral trade t ools 
to mitigate the economic fallouts of the crisis, there was no time to waste. The challenges facing th e 
organization  were not only colossal but immediate which was why Members  needed new leadership 
in place without delay.  
5.44.   The representative of the United Kingdom  noted that Members had heard t hat day and in 
their earlier discussions about the scale of the COVID -19 crisis and what it mean t to the global 
economy. One thing that they knew to be true was that, while th e pandemic had started as a health 
crisis, it was now morphing into a global economic crisis in which no country w ould be spared.  An 
increase in protectionism in response to th e pandemic  was seen – some of it for understandable 
reasons but nevertheless having an impact on the global trading system, compounding a much more 
serious collapse in global trade as a consequence of the global lockdown.  
5.45.   If Members did not take action collectively to adapt the  global trading system to the current 
circumstances and to prevent serious damage, they  risked one of the greatest recessions in their 
life, possibly  since the 1930s. The United Kingdom wondered what that mean t for Members'  
deliberations  on the next Direct or-General  and the selection process . Members  could not afford a 
leadership vacuum between the departure of the outgoing Director -General and the arrival of his 
successor. If the WTO was to be relevant in th e crisis, a sense of urgency  was needed . The U nited 
Kingdom  support ed an open, transparent and inclusive process. Th at would be possible even in th is 
time of crisis if they priorit ised it  and accept ed that th e process  would rely on virtual meetings.  
5.46.   The United Kingdom  urged colleagues to make the case back to their capitals about why th e 
process  should be a priority because strong leadership by the WT O would be one of the best ways 
Members  could minimi se the damage th e crisis was doing to the  world  and accelerate the process 
of building better on ce the virus was contained. The U nited Kingdom  would be offering its strong 
support to the Chair man's efforts to run  consultations in line with expedited deadlines as necessary 
to the Selection Process and w ould be working with all other Members to help facilitate the smoothest 
possible process to select Director -General Azevêdo's  successor.  
5.47.   The representative of Tunisia , intervening under Items 4 and 5 , associate d with the statement 
made by the African Group . Tunisia  support ed Kazakhstan's new offer to host MC12 in Nur -Sultan  
and thanked the Chair man for his consultations  in that regard . These were  unchartered waters given 
the current context , where  the obligation of achiev ing results had to be merged  at the same time 
with ensur ing that the WTO h ad at its helm a man or a woman who was able to meet the challenges 
Members  faced . Transparency and inclusiveness remained integral in the selection process led by 
the Chairman to whom  Tunisia  gave its full sup port. 
5.48.   The General Council took note  of the Chair man's report and of the statements.  
6  JOINT MINISTERIAL ST ATEMENT ON ACTION PL ANS TO FACILITATE TH E FLOW OF 
GOODS AND SERVICES A S WELL AS THE ESSENT IAL MOVEMENT OF PEOP LE – REQUEST BY 
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA  
6.1.  The Chairman invited  the Republic of Korea to introduce the item.  
6.2.  The representative of the Republic of Korea  said that  many Members had recently committed 
themselves to political statements underlining the importance of global value chain s and a 
coordinated global response to save them. In an effort to translate such political commitments into 
concrete action, Korea along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore had agreed upon 
the "Joint Ministerial Statement on Action Plans to Fa cilitate the Flow of Goods and Services as well 
as the Essential Movement of People " which had been  circulated in document  WT/GC/214.  
6.3.  The document include d the commitment of the five Members to identify concrete actions that 
could help alleviate the impact  of the pandemic and to work with other Members  to develop actions 
that w ould (i) ensure the flow of goods in global supply chains, (ii) facilitate the essential movement 
of people  and (iii) minimi se the negative impacts on trade and investment arising fro m the pandemic 
to facilitate an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  6.4.  Substantive discussion and action to maintain essential cross -border flow of goods, services 
and personnel w ould not only contribute to overcoming th at difficult time but would also demonstrate 
the relevance and effectiveness of the WTO.  Korea hope d that th e document along with many other 
valuable initiatives c ould be an important reference for possible discussion on crisis preparedness in 
the future. Korea look ed forward to positi ve consideration and support from other Members and 
remain ed open to discussing that in further detail with interested delegations.  
6.5.  The representative of Chad, on behalf of the LDCs , noted that  the health crisis ha d shown that 
there were risks of interruption in the delivery of essential products to  their people . As a 
consequence , it was essential to secure or guarantee the supply of essential products to safeguard 
lives. Such a reality linked to the recogni zed fragility of humans should lead Membe rs to include  
measures to prevent it from happening  as part of  the negotiations to minimi se the risks of shortages 
in the supply of essential goods and services. Members  should co llectively  seek the most suitable 
responses to counter the harmful health and  economic impact that COVID -19 could have on their 
societies in a globali sed context. Those responses could include  facilitating the movement of people 
particularly in the health care sector  and the trade of  medicines and  health care products and services.  
6.6.  In any case, Members  were called upon to take into account in their negotiations  the new 
reality brought about by the pandemic  capable of bringing down millions of lives and Members'  
economies  in just a few weeks. If a Joint Ministerial Statement w ould be drawn up for MC12 in light 
of the C OVID -19 crisis, it could aim to maintain  trade in times of health crisis to  preserve human life 
and to minimi se the collapse of interdependent economies.  
6.7.  The representative of New Zealand  thank ed the Republic of Korea  for putting th at item on the 
agenda as the membership benefit ed from transparency and visibility of C OVID -19 related initiatives. 
In New Zealand' s view, it was critical that C OVID -19 trade -related policies were designed and applied 
in a way that promote d rather than inhibit ed economic recovery and which were trade facilitating 
rather than protectionist in intent. New Zealand  was therefore pleased to join Australia, Canada, 
Singapore and Korea in th at initiative through which they would work on action plans  for the 
movement of both essential goods and essential workers.   
6.8.  The representative of Australia  had been pleased to  join the Ministerial Statement introduced 
by the Republic of Korea which commit ted to actions that support ed stable and open global trade 
and bolster ed economic resilience in post C OVID -19 economic recovery. In it, Ministers recogni zed 
the critical role of rules -based trade and support for WTO rules. They emphasise d the need to keep 
supply chains open to the flo w of essential goods and services, agree d to facilitate efforts to resume 
essential cross -border travel with mutual assurance of public health standards and safeguards and 
sought to promote business -friendly measures to respond to the pandemic's socio -economic impact. 
Australia  looked forward to working with all Members to pursue concrete initiatives that support ed 
the WTO and promote d inclusive and sustainable economic recovery.  
6.9.  The representative of Singapore  joined the Republic of Korea in inviting inter ested Members to 
come on board th e Ministerial Statement. Th e Ministerial Statement together with other bilateral 
and plurilateral statements that Singapore  had supported since the onset of the COVID -19 pandemic 
represent ed its  commitment to maintaining tr ade and supply chain connectivity. What set th e 
Ministerial Statement apart was the co -sponsors'  commitment to work with partners to expedite 
custom s procedures for essential goods and to facilitate the resumption of essential cross -border 
trade. The pande mic require d a collective response f rom all Members because COVID -19 kn ew no 
borders. It was therefore essential for  Members  not to shut their doors and turn inward . They should 
rather  intensify their efforts to collaborate more closely to speed up the recovery of their economies.  
6.10.   The representative of Kenya , intervening under Items 5 and 6,  associated with the statements 
made by the African Group and the ACP. With regard to Item 5, Kenya looked forwa rd to a fair, 
transparent and inclusive process that delivered the best candidate for the benefit of Members and 
the WTO.  
6.11.   With regard to Item 6, Kenya noted that, a ccording to an UNCTAD report, the COVID -19 
pandemic ha d resulted in the drop in global trad e values by 3% in the first quarter of 2020 and it 
was projected that th e downturn w ould accelerate in the second quarter with a decline of up to 27%. 
In a bid to respond to the pandemic, Members  had imposed measures that ha d adversely impacted 
the free fl ow of goods, services and the cross -border movement of people.  Restrictions on flow of WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  goods, services and people ha d led to plummeting fuel prices due to low uptake, had marked 
decreases in commodity prices and had restricted or delayed movement of cargo in transit as a 
consequence of new health protocols aimed at curbing the spread of COVID -19.  
6.12.   Such measures  had disrupted regional and global value chains with unprecedented constraints 
in the manufacturing and supply ecosystem.  As the world 's attention was predominantly on fighting 
the spread and finding a cure for COVID -19, the multilateral trading system should  play its part in 
mitigating the adverse effect of the pandemic on global trade. The social, economic and development 
effects of COVID -19 would continue to be felt long after the pandemic ha d been contained. Members 
should therefore find a coordinated approach to address th at global challenge and in so doing,  
appreciate that the impact of the pandemic varie d depending on the capabilities of affected Member s. 
6.13.   The representative of Chinese Taipei  share d the view that maintaining global supply chains, 
facilitating the essential movement of people and mitigating negative effects on international trade 
and investment environment were key elements  of recovery to bolster the global economy in an 
inclusive and sustainable manner. The main challenge for Members  could  be to ensure a well -planned 
system of passage and health protection in place to support the greater return of cross -borde r travel 
to normal. Th at task w ould require a huge collective effort of international cooperation and 
coordination. It was high time for Members to engage in shared best practice on th at crucial issue. 
Chinese Taipei  therefore endorse d the collective work carried out by Korea and other proponents.  
6.14.   Chinese Taipei ha d been successful in curbing the spread of infection since the outbreak of 
the COVID -19 pandemic  – with less than 450 confirmed cases to date and almost 15 consecutive 
days without any new domesti c case. Chinese Taipei  was proud of th at record and was happy to 
share its experience. Chinese Taipei  would continue to contribut e to international cooperation 
dedicated to combatting the pandemic and to facilitating a robust economic recovery through 
experience sharing, provision of essential medical supplies and technical assistance.  
6.15.   The representative of South Africa  said that t he current environment was marked by great 
uncertainty. No one was certain about the duration of the pandemic , or how it w ould evolve across 
different Members  and regions. South Africa and the African continent ha d not yet reached the peak 
of the pandemic  which would  necessitate that the responses would be  tailored to respond to the 
specific circumstances faced by  Members using the policy tools and exceptions available in WTO 
covered agreements including export restrictions where warranted. Different Members  had vastly 
different capabilities to address the impact . One-size-fits-all solutions w ould therefore not wor k. The 
WTO should contribute in facilitating an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery  as COVID -19 
demonstrate d Members'  shared fate as human beings  on why inclusive growth and development 
should be at the heart of the work of the WTO.  
6.16.   Global coopera tion was critical to ensure that COVID -19 treatment was accessible and 
affordable to the world as a public good. To promote economic resilience, multilateral rules should  
facilitate industrial development, diversification and structural transformation whic h were essential  
in putting Members'  economies on a sustainable development path. Trade c ould not be an end in 
itself. Members should  come up with a developmental agenda that ensure d that trade raise d 
standards of living, ensure d full employment, gr ew real  income and effective demand and expand ed 
the production of trade in goods and services. That would  in turn ensure that Members  deliver ed on 
the objectives of the WTO as had been set out in the Marrakesh Agreement. The WTO c ould also be 
a platform for the exchange of information and best practices on measures Members were 
implementing to promote trade, investment and employment.  
6.17.   The representative of India supported  the adoption of trade facilitation measures that were 
consistent with the T FA and in line with the existing balance of rights and obligations of Members 
under the WTO Agreements. Emergency measures taken in the wake of the pandemic should be 
"targeted, pr oportionate, transparent, and temporary ". Temporary reductions of customs duties on 
essential medical and agricultural products were within the rights of a  Member. India did not 
therefore  support permanent tariff liberalization as a response to a temporary  crisis.  
6.18.   Regarding the "establishment of a consultation mechanism between the relevant authorities 
of the signatory countries to identify and address trade disruptions that affect the trade in essential 
goods ", India would appreciate greater clarity from the signatories of the Joint S tatement on whether WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  they envisage d that to be a temporary, ad -hoc mechanism for the duration of the pandemic, or 
something more permanent.  
6.19.   Essential cross -border travel during the time o f a global pandemic should  obviously include 
the cross -border movement of medical professionals. Members should establish multilateral 
guidelines to facilitate th at. India was surprised to see that the signatories of the Joint Statement 
had not include d the critical category of doctors and nurses in their recommendations on the 
essential movement of people . India recommend ed that they consider ed adding it to make the Joint 
Statement fit for purpose.  
6.20.   The representative of Canada  said that t he global health crisis ha d underlined the importance 
of global cooperation and coordination particularly with regard to trade policy.  Members should 
recogni ze the reality that th e COVID -19 pandemic hit in waves affecting supply in various countries 
at diffe rent times. Th e crisis was not and should not be an excuse to shut down  trade. Members 
should  work closely to keep trade and supply chains open so that businesses and enterprises across 
the glob e had the stability they need ed to enable  the people to contin ue to access essential goods 
and services in times of crisis . 
6.21.   The Joint Ministerial Statement outline d a number of actions they could take to achieve that 
objective including facilitating the movement of health and business personnel across borders.  
Canada  had already taken a number of th ose trade -related steps and had informed  Members through 
the trade monitoring process. The WTO was uniquely placed to play a constructive role to help ensure 
coordination and coherence between the actions of its Members as they worked to reopen their 
economies and la id the groundwork for a sustainable recovery. Canada was therefore advocating for 
Members  to inform the WTO of  the trade measures they were taking in response to COVID -19. 
6.22.   Transparency was one of the crucial elements of international cooperation as all Members  
worked towards an economic recovery plan that prioriti sed the health and safety of their people and 
minimise d the economic impact of COVID -19. Over the past  years, Members ha d been b eset by 
division and lack of a common vision  at the WTO. They  should see th e crisis as a rallying around 
which they could begin to build a common cause for action. Canada was realistic and underst ood 
that it would  not be easy a s it would take time  yet rema ined committed to the multilateral trading 
system and to meeting the challenge of strengthening and modernising the WTO for all Members.  
6.23.   The representative of the European Union  agree d with the co -sponsors of th e Joint Ministerial  
Statement on the importan ce of facilitating the flow of goods and services. The Statement by G20 
Ministers provide d a very pertinent framework to maintain global supply chains as open as possible 
in the current circumstances.  The European Union was ready to work with interested Me mbers on 
how best to deliver on that objective. In compliance with the G20 statement to ensure that measures 
were targeted, proportionate, transparent, temporary and consistent with WTO rules, the European 
Union ha d recently removed its export authori zation scheme on PPEs. Members should continue to 
leverage their multilateral trade tools to mitigate the economic fallout of the crisis. The WTO could 
contribute to ensuring affordable and predictable access to healthcare products globally. The 
European Union was exploring how efforts could be deployed to facilitate trade, eliminate tariffs on 
medicines and protective equipment and address as well non -tariff restrictive measures.  
6.24.   The representative of Afghanistan  said that, a s a landlocked developing country , Afghanistan 
share d the concern of the proponents on the restrictions imposed on the cross -border trade of goods 
and services and on the  movement of people during th at critical time. Afghanistan  looked forward 
to work ing with proponents to achieve the proposal 's objective and to reali se the ease , greater 
accessibility and trade facilitation at the borders during and after the pandemic.  
6.25.   The representative of Chile interven ed under Items 5 and 6 . He first thanked Ambassador 
Ford him for his excellent leadership as Chair of the CoA SS  and said that  he had always pursued 
the objective of multilateralism.  
6.26.   With regard to Item 6, Chile noted that t he Joint Ministerial Statement g ave Members  a 
practical approach for assessing the effects that they were all experiencing due to COVID -19. 
Members  were looking at the current panorama and the negative effects that the pandemic was 
having on international trade, the flow of cross -border trade of es sential goods and the movement 
of essential people. Chile could endorse th e Joint Ministerial Statement  as a co -sponsor.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  6.27.   With regard to Item 5, Chile support ed the expedited process propos ed by the Chairman . A 
common denominator in the statements made under that  agenda item was that the process to 
appoint a new Director -General should be fair, open, transparent and inclusive. Chile endorse d that 
idea as it w ould ensure that all of the candidates also met the necessary criteria. Chile wanted the 
organization  to continue along th ose lines because Members  needed to look at both the pace and 
results that they were going to achieve. The position of the D irector -General  in an organization such 
as the WTO was key for the leadership that Members  needed to confront t he challenges th ey faced. 
6.28.   The representative of the Republic of Korea  thank ed the Members for their  constructive 
comments and the co-sponsors for their supporting remarks. Korea  looked forward to working with 
Members to further explore any possible concrete areas where they could work together.  
6.29.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
7  OTHER BUSINESS  
7.1  Garments and Textile  Sector  in light of COVID -19 – Statement by Bangladesh  
7.1.  The representative of Bangladesh , speaking under "Other Business" , noted that a  webinar had 
been organi zed by the International Chamber  of Commerce on 19 Ma y which  both the Chairman and 
the Director -General  had attended , with 70 businesses to discuss public health and the economic 
impact of C OVID -19. The Chairman's  participation and valuable contribution in that event had 
encouraged Bangladesh  to take the floor to say a few words.  Bangladesh drew Members'  attention 
to a C OVID -19 impact study by  the World Food Program me. In a virtual meeting held on 21 April, 
its Executive Director , David Beasley, had predicted based on that report that about 130 million 
people would be on the brink of starvation by the end of 2020. He had further warned  that millions 
would be going through a "hunger pandemic ". 
7.2.  In Bangladesh, particularly in the garments and textile  sector , according to the Bangladesh 
Garments Manufactures Association , due to C OVID -19, 1,150 factories had reported foreign export 
orders amounting to USD 3.18 billion being either cancelled or suspended  result ing in daily 
subsistence income loss for 2.28 million workers. It had happened due to the sudden drying up of 
garments demand and actions taken by global garment brands because of measures implemented  
by governments to contain C OVID -19. That, in turn, had resulted in the suppliers and manufacturers 
in the region falling victim to unprecedented difficult ies as had been  described. While b rands or 
retailers pa id their suppliers or exporters weeks or even months after delivery of the products rather 
than upon order, suppliers usually h ad to pay upfront for the materials, fabrics and other costs. Th at 
well-established trusted business relationship ha d been jeopardi sed by  COVID -19 due to the 
cancellation or suspension of orders causing severe economic hardship to Bangladesh's  
manufacturers and income loss of their workers.  
7.3.  Members  such as  Bangladesh ha d little or no means to offset the loss caused by th at economic 
downturn . On the other hand, m any garments importing countries h ad put in place extensive support 
measures for industries across the board including the big clothing brands . Even with the supportive 
measures by governments, Bangladesh  did not see brands behaving m uch responsibly. Members 
would  perhaps need to hear from them.  It would be of  the membership's interest if such an event 
could be jointly organi zed by the WTO and the ICC extending an invitation especially to global textile 
and clothing brands and listen to them. The objective would not be to point finger s but to allow 
Members  to explore responsible business behavio ur and to know about their coping strategies. That  
could  enable Members  to make informed policy decisions and save millions of lives fro m hunger. As 
it did not fall under the ongoing WTO negotiations , there was need for that special initiative.  
7.4.  The General Council took note  of the statement.  
7.2  Discussions of the g7+ WTO Accession s Group on COVID -19 – Statement by 
Afghanistan  
7.5.  The representati ve of Afghanistan , on behalf of  the g7+ WTO Accessions Group , speaking under 
"Other Business ", reported that on  20 May, the Group had held a virtual meeting that had been  
attended by the g7+ Secretariat and had enjoyed the Accessions Division 's assistanc e. The meeting 
had been  organi zed to take stock of the experiences and exchange views on the impact of the WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  COVID -19 outbreak and lockdown on fragile and conflict -affected countries and the ways to facilitate 
recovery including through WTO accessi ons. The g7+ WTO Accessions G roup, an association of 20 
fragile and conflict -affected States, had presented their initiatives on the immediate steps necessary 
to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and the Accessions Division had provided an update  on the 
state of play in WTO operation s and on the accessions of the Group's members and observers.  
7.6.  The Group's members had expressed their deep concern on the mid and long -term economic 
impact of the pandemic on fragile and conflict -affected countries that could be devastating and could 
cause human los s, significant decrease in government revenue particularly from customs duties and 
exports especially of oi l and primary commodities , increasing unemployment rate and widespread 
famine.  Given the special circumstances of the Group's members and their uneasy political, economic 
and social situation, COVID -19 posed a very devastating threat to th ose countries and  exacerbate d 
their pre -existing conditions. The Group therefore  encourage d a special global action and support to 
the fragile and conflict -affected countries to fight the pandemic and its impact on their economies.  
7.7.  The Group support ed the recent call on Members that trade -restrictive emergency measures 
aimed at protecting health , if deemed necessary, sh ould be targeted, proportionate, transparent and 
temporary, not create unnecessary barriers to trade or disruption to global supply chains and be 
consistent with WTO rules.  There had also been consensus to support the LDC Group com munication 
circulated on 4 May specifically on trade measures taken by Members since the outbreak of the virus. 
The Group stresse d that export prohibitions or restrictions should not be imposed with respect to 
products identified by the WHO and WCO as crit ical to combating the COVID -19 pandemic when 
such products were exported to LDCs for their domestic use or for humanitarian purposes. The 
Group's  call for unrestricted or prohibited exports also cover ed basic food products.  
7.8.  The Group urge d all Members to e xtend their support to acceding governments to conclude 
their accession process expeditiously in particular  to support the efforts of the post -conflict acceding 
members of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group. The Group looked  at the WTO accession process and 
membership as an effective way to facilitate peace, stability and prosperity through conducting WTO -
related legal and institutional reforms, trade integration and participation in international trade and 
value chain. Members should  consider the specific challe nges of LDCs and conflict -affected States 
during their accession process especially in th ose challenging times.  The Group had also echoed  the 
g7+ Secretariat 's call for concerted support in efforts to curb COVID -19 by investing in public 
healthcare and str engthen ing institutions , the debt relief measure through waving interest payments 
and using the Heavily Indebted Poor Country mechanisms for th ose countries , caring for displaced 
people stranded due to border closures and supporting economic recovery and s elf-reliance.  
7.9.  The General Council took note  of the statement.  
7.3  Request for Observer Status by Turkmenistan – Statement by the Chair man 
7.10.   The Chair man, speaking under "Other Business ", drew attention to a communication that had 
been circulated by the Government of Turkmenistan in  document  WT/L/1090.  In th at 
communication, Turkmenistan was requesting observer status to the General Council and its 
subsidiary bodies and, in line with Annex 2 to the Rules of Procedure in WT/L/161, was stating the 
intention to initiate negotiations for accession to the WTO Agreement within a period of five years. 
In line with  the practice, he would conduct consultations on th at request and w ould revert to it in 
due course . 
7.11.   The General Council took note11 of the Chairman's statement . 
7.4  Chairmanship of the Committee of Agriculture in Special Session  – Statement by the 
Chair man 
7.12.   The Chair man, speaking under "Other Business ", recalled that  Ambassador Ford of Guyana 
had announced that  he was stepping down as the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture in 
Special Session on 30 June as he was leaving his post in Geneva.  In line with the guidelines for the 
appointment of officers (WT/L/510) , he would soon reach out to the coordinators of the four groups 
 
11 At the request of the delegation of Afghanistan, its  statement under this item is incorporated in the 
minutes of this meeting and can be found in Annex 2. 
 WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  that was the developed countries , the African Group , GRULAC and the Asian Group of developing 
Members to begin the consultations on a new Chair for the CoA SS. He would be assisted by the 
Chair of the DSB, Amb assador  Castillo and by the former Cha ir of the General Cou ncil, Amb assador  
Kangvalkulkij . He encourage d all Members to engage constructively with the group coordinators as 
soon as possible with a view to identifying a new Chair for the CoA SS without delay.  
7.13.   The General Council took note  of the Chair man's statement.  
7.5  Statement by the Chair man on Administrative Measures for Members in Arrears  
7.14.   The Chair man, speaking under "Other Business ", noted that the revised Administrative 
Measures for Members in arrears in WT/BFA/132 required that, at the end of each meet ing of the 
General Council, the Chair of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration should provide 
information with regard to which Members and Observers were under Administrative Measures.  
7.15.   Ambassador Manuel Teehankee (Philippines), Chair of the C ommittee on Budget, Finance and 
Administration , reported that the Administrative Measures applicable to Members and Observers 
with arrears in contribution had been in place since 1 March 2013. In accordance with the Decision 
of the General Council, he shou ld state all Members and Observers under all categories of 
administrative measures. As at 28 May 2020, there had been 19 Members and 6 Observers under 
Administrative Measures. The following 6 Members were currently in Category I: Plurinational State 
of Bol ivia, Cuba, Ghana, Guinea, Tonga and Zambia. The following 5 Members were in Category II: 
Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Senegal, Yemen and Zimbabwe. The following 8 Members 
were in Category III: Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Central African Republ ic, Congo, Guinea -Bissau, 
Niger, Sierra Leone and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The following 2 Observers were in 
Category I: Iran and Syrian Arab Republic. Comoros was the only Observer in Category II. The 
following 3 Observers were in Category III: L ibya, Sao Tomé and Principe and Somalia.  
7.16.   The Chairman said that he was also required at each Council meeting to request Members 
and Observers in Categories II and III of the Measures to inform the Secretariat as to when their 
payment of arrears could be ex pected.  
7.17.   The General Council took note  of the statements.  
 
_______________  
 
  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  ANNEX 1 
STATEMENT S BY EGYPT  AND GABON ON THE REPORT BY THE  CHAIR MAN OF THE  TRADE 
NEGOTIATIONS COMMITT EE AND REPORT BY THE  DIRECTOR -GENERA L 
(AGENDA ITEM 1)  
At their request, the statement s of Egypt and Gabon  are included below as part of the Minutes of 
the General Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
1. Egypt  
 
As we consider ways to advance WTO work and negotiations, it is important to note that countries 
experien ce their peaks of COVID -19 pandemic at variant times. The pace of our work must, 
therefore, take into account this reality, and that negotiations cannot be advanced until all Members 
can fully participate. We need to consider the positions expressed during  the April meeting and 
conclusions in this regard.  
 
It is obvious that COVID -19 crisis will hit the economies of most, if not all, WTO Members more 
severely than the global economic crisis in 2008. According to the International Monetary Fund, the 
global e conomy is set to shrink by almost 3% in 2020. Moreover, this crisis shows us that Members 
with better resources will be able to overcome severe economic and social consequences of the 
pandemic more effectively than developing countries and LDCs. It is clea r then that the pandemic 
will exacerbate existing inequalities among Members.  
 
Against this background, I would like to share with you the following:  
 
– Special and differential treatment should serve to enable developing countries and LDCs to 
better respon d to the economic challenges of COVID -19, enhance trade flows to pave the 
way for quick global recovery, and assist efforts to build resilience against future global 
economic crises.  
 
– For fisheries subsidies negotiations, we stress that any future outcome on that matter 
should fully consider the needs of developing countries for appropriate and effective special 
and differential treatment, while implementing SDG 14.6. 
 
– For agriculture negotiations, we sincerely thank Ambassador Ford for his dedication and 
vision in leading the C oA SS in the past two years; for sure he will be missed. We look 
forward to capitali se on his work and remain ready to constructively engage with the new 
Chair. Furthermore, we believe that the current crisis has highlighted the neces sity of 
putting food security at the top of our priorities, and stressed the need for rearranging the 
agriculture negotiating priorities to meet the post COVID -19 demands, particularly global 
food security, with special emphasi s on granting more flexibilities to NFIDCs and LDCs.  
 
– Within the framework of the global response to the pandemic, we urge Members to use 
appropriate trade policy tools to ensure that patents and other intellectual property rights 
do not constitute avoidabl e barriers to the local manufacturing or importing of essential 
medical supplies, including diagnostics medicines, and vaccines. In this regard, we call for 
allowing developing countries and LDCs to use TRIPS flexibilities to help these countries to 
access  medicine needed to combat the pandemic in the coming few months . 
 
– COVID -19 highlighted the importance of digital transformation and underscored the 
implications of the digital divide both within and among countries, particularly in the realm 
of e-commerce. We call on all WTO Members to advance the implementation of the 1998 
Work Program me on Electronic C ommerce  bearing in mind those global rules without 
sincerely addressing the developmental aspects of e -commerce will impair the existing 
disparit ies. 
 
– The current crisis must not impede our efforts to resolve the Appellate Body crisis, in order 
to retrieve the full strength of our organization.  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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Once again, Egypt reiterates its commitment to enhance fair, inclusive and rule s-based multilateral 
trading system and its readiness to work with all WTO Members to promote inclusive growth and 
sustainable development.  
 
2. Gabon  
 
My delegation associates itself with the statements made by Botswana on behalf of the African Group 
and by Jamaica on behalf of the ACP. 
 
We thank you for organi sing this meeting, given the current context marked by the COVID -19 
pandemic, which remains an obstacle to the smooth conduct of our discussions.  
 
I would also like to commend the Chairpersons of the Negotiating Groups who have  reported to us 
on the discussions they have had to date.  
 
The health and socioeconomic crisis generated by the COVID -19 pandemic requires not a 
protectionist approach but cooperation and international solidarity to face common challenges. This 
necessitate s measures and actions taken collectively to curb if not lessen its impact on trade and 
investment in order to promote economic recovery. As such, our work must contribute to this.  
 
With this in mind, the WTO negotiations should lead to positive and concre te results with a view to 
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.  
 
Among other things, an agreement should be reached, as soon as conditions permit, on the 
framework of fisheries subsidies, in accordance with SDG 14.6. This must integrate the needs of  the 
LDCs and developing countries to enable them to develop this sector.  
 
With regard to Special and Differential Treatment, the provisions of Paragraph 44 of the Doha 
Ministerial Declaration and the decision adopted by the General Council at its meeting of 1 August 
2004 must be reviewed and adapted to take into account the real needs of our countries.  
 
In addition, despite the measures taken by our authorities to date to minimize the effects of the 
pandemic, it is presumptuous to say with precision the co nsequences of this crisis, as it continues 
to rage in many countries.  
 
Gabon, for its part, like many others , has chosen to  place its population  under quarantine  and has 
taken a certain number of  related  measures, notably the closing of its borders, the establishment of 
mass screening, t he creation of centres across its national  territory  and the provision of free test s 
in public institutions and  aid to SMEs , among others . However, Gabon's economic sector  remains 
strongly affected by this crisis.  
 
_______________  
 
 
  WT/GC/M/184  
 
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  ANNEX 2  
STATEMENT BY AFGHANI STAN ON THE REQUEST FOR OBSERVER STATUS BY 
TURKMENISTAN  
(OTHER BUSINESS 3) 
At its request, the statement of  Afghanistan  is included below as part of the Minutes of the General 
Council meeting.  
 
_______________  
 
 
My delegation welcomes and praises the submission of the application for observer status in the 
General Council of WTO and its subsidiary bodies by Turkmenistan.  
 
As Turkmenistan' s immediate neighbo ur and latest Member of the WTO, Afghanistan is very happy 
to note that the Government of Turkmenistan intends to initiate negotiations for accession to the 
WTO within five years and looks at the observer status as a tool for their Government to familiari se 
with the WTO rules and procedures, and to prepare for initiation of the accession negotiations. I can 
confirm that Afghanistan had the same strategy which turned out to be very helpful and we therefore 
strongly support the request made by Turkmenistan. We are h appy to note that an Inter -Ministerial 
Commission was established to examine issues related to Turkmenistan's possible accession to the 
WTO which demonstrates Turkmenistan' s seriousness to the issue.  
 
Turkmenistan borders Afghanistan to the southeast, and is a supportive and friendly neighbour of 
my country. Afghanistan is expected to play an important role in providing a transit corridor – 
connecting Turkmenistan, rich in natural resources mainly oil and gas , to South Asia. Given the 
importance of trade in  Turkmenistan's economy with a value equal to 40% of its GDP, accession to 
the WTO will therefore contribute in the expansion of trade and transit and ultimately in regional 
cooperation in Central and South Asia.  
 
While we wish Turkmenistan the best, I ass ure them that they can count on Afghanistan's full 
support, and I call upon all Members to agree with Turkmenistan' s application.  
 
__________