WT/MIN(24)/ST/73  
26 February 2024  
(24-1566) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original:  French   
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MS KAYI MIVEDOR -SAMBIANI  
MINISTER OF TRADE, CRAFTS  
AND LOCAL CONSUMPTION  
TOGO 
The Togolese delegation thanks the Government and the people of the United Arab Emirates for the 
warm welcome it has received.  
We congratulate the Officers  of MC13 , the Director -General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, 
and the WTO Secretariat for the quality of the organization of this Thirteenth WTO Ministerial 
Conference . 
It is taking place at a time when the international commu nity is grappling with challenges related to 
health, security and climate change.  
Togo, under the able leadership of H.E. Mr Faure Essozimna G nassingbe , President of the Togolese 
Republic, would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its position on the  centrality and importance 
of the WTO as the main institution responsible for ensuring fair, equitable and rules -based 
multilateral trade, as set out in the Marrakesh Agreement.  
The Togolese delegation proposes that the outcomes of MC13 be based on strengt hening the major 
decisions already taken  at MC12, notably on trade facilitation and improving the functioning and 
long-term resilience of  global markets for food and agriculture  products , including cereals, fertilizers 
and other agricultural inputs.  
In vie w of the adverse impacts of climate change on LDCs, Togo calls for the revitalization of the 
work of the Committee on Trade and Environment to help developing countries and LDCs respond 
to the  environmental challenges associated with  trade.  
The Togolese d elegation calls on the WTO , in cooperation with other institutions with mandates on 
e-commerce,  to carry out  relevant analyses  that provide more in -depth  information on matters 
related to bridging the digital divide, regulatory frameworks for consumer and data protection, and 
value -added tax systems.  
Togo welcome d the adoption of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies at MC12 on 
17 June 2022. This Agreement  marks a major step forward  for ocean sustainability by prohibiting 
harmful fisheries subsidies.  
We support the position of LDCs in phase II of the multilateral negotiations on fisheries subsidies 
that contribute to  overcapacity  and overfishing , pursuant to the  Doha and Hong Kong Ministerial 
mandates, target  14.6 of the SDGs and the mandate for further n egotiations in the Ministerial 
Decision on the  Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.  
In addition, we support the OACPS regarding the preservation of  Members ' right  to determine 
national fisheries management systems.  
Togo urges Members to ratify the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies , with a view to its entry into 
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  The Dispute Settlement Body is a central pillar of the WTO. We call on Ministers to agree to expedi te 
the selection process for new Appellate Body members and to lay down  the necessary rules to build 
trust in the procedures and operation of this Body. As transparency and non -discrimination are also 
pillars of the WTO, reform improvements in notification  and implementation obligations must not 
introduce additional burdensome obligations for LDCs.  
The Togolese delegation calls on development partners to provide additional flows of aid for trade 
for the full implementation of  the capacity -building activities identified  for LDCs  in the Aid -for-Trade 
Work Programme for 2023 -2024. We appreciate  the compl ementary funding to the technical 
advisory support enjoyed by the LDC Group to date, which has strengthened the Group's capacity 
to participate in the negotiations and all the deliberations in the WTO and the multilateral trading 
system. Togo will take ste ps to participate constructively in the Ninth Global Review of Aid for Trade 
in June  2024 in Geneva.  
Togo reaffirms  the importance of special and differential treatmen t, which enables  developing 
countries and LDCs to achieve structural economic transformat ion and take full advantage of 
international trade.  
Lastly, the Togolese delegation commends the Director -General of the WTO for her role as a major  
facilitator in the discussions on the various negotiations . We also commend  all WTO forums, in 
particular t he Ministerial Conference, for their work on furthering the objectives of our Organization.  
Togo remains attentive to the negotiations on the themes of this Ministerial Conference and wishes 
the Conference  every success  in its work . 
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