WT/MIN(24)/ ST/48  
26 February 2024  
(24-1540) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: French  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR SERGE GNANIODEM PODA  
MINISTER OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, TRADE,  
CRAFTS , AND SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES  
BURKINA FASO 
At the outset, I should like to thank the authorities of the United Arab Emirates, in particular  my 
counterpart , Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, for all the kind assistance and hospitality extended to 
my delegation and to me, and above all to congratulate him on the successfu l organization of this 
important decision -making  forum of our Organization.  
 
I should also like to congratulate  the WTO Secretariat for the excellent preparation of our work.  
 
The delegation of Burkina Faso supports the statements made by the Minister ial Coordinators of the 
groups to which our country belongs, including the Ministers of Chad, Djibouti, Cameroon, Botswana 
and Samoa in their respective capacity as spokespersons.  
 
Global economic activity, which  is expected to slow in 2024, the third consec utive year of 
deceleration, according to International Monetary Fund  forecasts , will be marked by disturbances to 
fair trade that must be pre-empted or contained .  
 
In this context, and now more than ever, the WTO must show responsibility and originality in meeting 
the challenges it faces as a body that promotes and guarantees a viable, fair and prosperous trading 
system for all. In these circumstances, trade should b e a vehicle for raising people's living standards, 
especially for so-called " least developed " and "developing " countries .  
 
It has to be said , however, that an objective and pragmatic review of the state -of-play in the Doha 
Development Agenda (DDA) negotia tions, launched in 2001, offers only cautious optimism as 
regards the ability of our Organization to address these challenges effectively on its own without the 
support of Members.  
 
We must therefore redouble our efforts and, with a strong political will and a spirit of shared 
responsibility, do our utmost to overcome the current difficulties, taking into consideration the 
priorities linked to  the choices made by our countries to move towards self -sustaining and 
sustainable development models.  
 
To that end, the "development" dimension, especially "endogenous development" based on people's 
legitimate and intrinsic aspirations, must be at the heart of our concerns.  
 
In the light of the global economic slowdown , it is time to maintain the process o f reform and 
liberalization of trade policies, to ensure that trade plays its full part in promoting economic recovery, 
inclusive growth and development.  
 
This will be a practical way of fulfilling the commitments set forth in the Doha Declaration, which 
recognizes that " international trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic 
development and the alleviation of poverty ", as well as  "the need for all … to benefit from 
the ... welfare gains that the multilateral trading system generates ".  
 WT/MIN(24)/ ST/48  
 
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  With this in mind, cotton is  an ever more pressing issue for the WTO, to which the Organization 
must find a speedy and fair solution , or risk of losing its credibility. This matter  has been pending 
since it was first raised in 2003 , although  we, the producing countries , remain very hopeful .  
 
My delegation fully associates itself with the statement made by Chad on behalf of the C -4, calling 
for this issue to be resolved in accordance with the Hong  Kong mandate , and on the basis of the 
work already ca rried out and consolidated in the various draft modalities.  
 
On 25  January  2024, at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting in Koudougou, Burkina Faso, the Trade 
Ministers of the four co -sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative in Favour of Cotton (C -4) and Côte d'Ivoi re 
reaffirmed their commitment to the multilateral trading system, with a view to finding a definitive 
solution to the issue of cotton. Like the representatives of other African cotton -producing countries, 
I should like to appeal , once again, to all cotton  stakeholders to find a definitive solution to this 
issue. The resolution of this matter must be included among the priority issues to which urgent and 
immediate responses must be found upon the conclusion of our work .  
 
Burkina Faso is of the opinion that the development of the cotton value chain in the C -4 countries 
and Côte d'Ivoire  should be prioritized in order  to give fresh impetus to this sector through a strategic 
partnership. In this regard, considerable  resources must be mobilized  to finance projects and 
programmes for cotton -textile value chain  integration .  
 
There appears to be increasing support  among th e Members of this Organization for the internal 
functioning of the WTO  to be reformed  or even for its scope to be expanded to include so -called 
"21st-century" issues.  
 
For Burkina Faso, the first and real 21st century issue – the most urgent one, to which  all efforts 
must be directed  – is, and will continue to be, the Doha Development Agenda, the much -delayed  
conclusion of which is still pending. Moreover, any reform of the WTO should seek to consolidate the 
Organization's role as guarantor of trade benefi cial to all Members, with clear and uniform rules that 
apply effectively to all and support the trade integration of so-called least developed countries 
(LDCs).  
 
The task is an arduous one , yet the stakes require that we tackle  it with courage and, above all, do 
our utmost to succeed.  
 
Before concluding, I would like to urge Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) stakeholders to 
mobilize resources for the uninterrupted  operationaliz ation of the third phase , in order to consolidate 
the real gains made for the economic and social development of our countries through trade.  
 
I should thus like to conclude my remarks with that call for action , while once again reaffirming 
Burkina  Faso's commitment to fair trade and willingness to contribute to its consoli dation.  
 
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