WT/MIN(17)/31  
8 December  2017 
(17-6760)  Page: 1/1 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
STATEMENT BY THE  GROUP OF LATIN AMERI CAN AND CARIBBEAN COUNTR IES 
ON THE OCCASION OF T HE ELEVENTH  MINISTERIAL CONFEREN CE 
OF THE WORLD TRADE O RGANIZATION  
The following communication, dated 7 December 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) Members of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO).  
 
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We, t he countries of the Latin American and Carib bean Group (GRULAC) Mem bers of the World 
Trade Organization (WTO),  
 
Extend our greetings  to the Government and people of the Argentine Republic and thank them for 
hosting the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference, recalling the historical fact that it has be en many 
years since th is Organization has met in our region at the highest le vel. 
 
Reaffirm  the commitment of our countries to continue working for a multilateral trading system 
that is fair  and equitable, based  on rules  and on the principles of non -discri mination, transparency, 
inclusiveness , and the centrality of development as a fundamental objective.  
 
Stress  the importance of the WTO as the organization of the multilateral system that serves as a 
forum for agree ing on disciplines and commitments aimed a t reducing obstacles to internati onal 
trade and ensuring a level playing field for all, thereby  contributing to the economic growth and 
development of nations.  
 
Draw a particular attention to the relevance of the WTO dispute settlement system, which provid es 
all Members, whatever the size of their economy, with access to a mechanism  for settling 
situations that affect trade on the basis of  the WTO Agreement s. We believe that it is in the 
interest of all WTO Members, and in particular the developing and least -developed economies, to 
guarantee that the mechanism remains effective . We therefore urge Members to ensure that the 
dispute settlement system continues to function smoothly and to fill the vacancies in the Appellate 
Body as quickly as possible, without linking them  to other procedural issues.  
 
We appeal  to all WTO Members to contribute, through their decisions, to the success of the 
Eleventh Ministerial C onference, maintaining the principles that gave birth to the Organization, 
preserving the common interest and cooperation, and helping to overcome obstacles, 
protectionism and the distortions prevalent in  international trade  in order to ensure equity in the 
system and social justice at the global  level.  
 
The Latin American and Caribbean Group  makes up a rich and diverse region, and we are 
exploring different ways to achieve  the type of international integration best suited to our specific 
needs and challeng es. At the same time, we maintain the common objective of overcoming 
poverty in order to be able to provide our citizens with better opportunities and to contribute to 
the strengthening and progress of the multilateral  trading system with a view to securin g 
development in which no one is left behind.  
 
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