WT/MIN(24)/25  
 
29 February  2024 
(24-1925) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 20 24 Original: English  
 
 
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION ADOPTED AT THE THIRD  
MINISTERIAL MEETING  OF THE g7+ GROUP  
ABU DHABI , UNITED ARAB EMIRATES , 26-29 FEBRUARY  2024 
The following communication, dated 29 February  2024, is being circulated at the request of 
the Ministers responsible for Trade and the Heads of Delegations of Burundi, Central African Republic, 
Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Guinea -Bissau, Haiti,  Liberia,  Papua New 
Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan,  Sudan,  
Timor -Leste, Togo and Yemen . 
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We, the Ministers responsible for trade  of the g7+ Group (formerly referred to  as the g7+ WTO 
Accessions Group)  have met on 26 February  2024 on the margins of the 13th WTO Ministerial 
Conference (MC1 3), for the third Ministerial meeting of the Group.  
Recalling that the Ministers of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group met on 10  December 2017  and on 
12 June 2022,  during the 11th and the 1 2th WTO Ministerial Conference s and issued Declaration s 
contained in document s WT/MIN(17)/51  and WT/MIN(2 2)/23, respectively ;  
Announcing  the expansion of the Group to the whole of the g7+ association and w elcoming  the 
participation and support of other Members and Observers at this Third meeting;  
Expressing our collective appreciation to Afghanistan  for the coordination of the Group in 2018-2020, 
and to Liberia and Timor -Leste  since 2021;  
Welcoming  the accessions of Comoros and Timor -Leste to the WTO  which send a strong signal to 
other ongoing accessions, closing the 8 -year gap since the WTO welcomed two other g7+ members  
– Afghanistan and Liberia – in 2016 ; 
Recalling  that fragile and conflict -affected states ( FCS) remain  heavily constrained by institutional 
fragility and/or violent conflict and  therefore  face serious trade -related challenges, making them 
disproportionately vulnerable to the continuing effects of the COVID -19 pandemic and the global 
economic downturn;  
Deeply concern ed that, despite two new accessions,  many  FCS continue to face difficulties in 
advancing accession negotiations or implement ing WTO commitments, unable to fully benefit from 
the multilateral trading system , which expose them to re-occurring risks of increased fragility and 
conflict escalation ;  
Re-iterating the Group's strong belief in the multilateral trading system which should be more 
inclusive, equitable and relevant to the realities of the present; and,  
Welcoming  the advancement of the Trade for Peace Programme by the  WTO Secretariat, in response 
to the specific needs expressed by FCS; WT/MIN(24)/25  
 
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  1. We call on the WTO to play an active role in promoting peace and stability, including through 
the Trade for Peace Programme  by the W TO Secretariat  which is aimed at enhancing partnerships 
between the trade, peace and humanitarian communities. We strongly believe in the trade -peace 
nexus and in the integration and effective participation of FCS in the multilateral trading system , 
which  could help them achieve stability , resilience  and durable peace necessary for sustainable 
development .  
2. We re-affirm the key role of the g7+ Group as a platform for : (i) facilit ating the integration of 
FCS in  the WTO, including through WTO accession s, (ii) leading the development of the WTO Trade 
for Peace Programme for all FCS , (iii) facilitating sharing of lessons on the promotion of trade ; and 
(iv) advocating for inclusive and effective multilateral trade policies . 
3. We continue to call for the establishment of a n action -oriented  Work Programme on Trade for 
Peace for FCS , as proposed in WT/GC/W/830 . The Work Programme shall aim at enhancing the 
understanding on the trade -peace nexus, in particular, how trade could  help promote and sustain  
peace  in FCS . The Group commits to engage in consultations with Members in  the Committee on 
Trade and Development , so that a multilateral decision on the Work Programme could be taken by 
all Members at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference  (MC14)  in Cameroon .  
4. We urge WTO Members to sustain the engagement with and provide necessary support to all 
FCS acceding governments towards expeditious conclusion  of their accessions , on terms designed 
to contribut e to their economic development, peace and stability, and taking account of the 2002 
and 2012 LDC Accession Guidelines .1  
5. We also welcome the active participation of FCS Members  in the work of the WTO, despite the 
specific constraints faced by them. We urge WTO Members to provide targeted support , which is 
sensitive to their situation s. 
6. We remain committed to continue coordinating our efforts to support WTO accessions and 
maximize the benefits of WTO membership for FCS. We will conven e regularly to promote the 
collective objective s mentioned above. We look forward to engaging with the WTO Membership and 
development partners to advance these goals.  
 
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1 WT/L/508  and WT/L/508/Add.1 .