WT/MIN(17)/36  
9 December 2017  
(17-6765) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires , 10-13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
 
MINISTERIAL DECLARAT ION OF THE INFORMAL GROUP OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
 
The following communication, dated 9 December 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Honduras on behalf of the Informal Group of Developing Countries.  
 
 
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1.  We, Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Informal Group of Developing Countries 
comprised of over 120 Members, met in Buenos Aires on 9 December 2017 on the occasion of the 
11th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11).  
2.  We express our deep gratitude and congratulations to the Government and people of Argentina 
for their hospitality and excellent work in organizing and hosting this important conference in one 
of South America' s most dynamic cities and regions.  
3.  We express our deep appreciation for the Director -General Mr.  Roberto  Azevêdo and 
congratulate him on his reappointment; we also express our sincere gratitude to him and to the 
Chair of the General Council H.E. Ambassado r Xavier K arim, for their leadership and efforts in 
preparing MC11.  
4.  We reaffirm the principles and objectives set out in the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
WTO, and commit to strengthen the rule -based multilateral trading system.  We firmly believe th at 
a strong, rule -based multilateral trading system is a cornerstone of the global economy and 
provides stability for international trade. We also recognize the need for all to benefit from the 
increased opportunities and welfare gains that the multilatera l trading system generates.  
5.  We will strive to safeguard and strengthen the core values and basic principles - rules-based, 
open, equitable, transparent, non -discriminatory and inclusive - of the WTO, and commit to 
enhance the relevance of the organization.  We pledge to strengthen the multilateral trading 
system to provide a strong impetus to inclusive prosperity and to respond to the specific 
development needs of developing country Members, in particular the least -developed country 
Members.  
6.  We shall mainta in development as a core objective in the WTO , and reaffirm that the principle 
of special and differential treatment shall remain integral to the organization, recognising that the 
majority of WTO Members are developing country Members.  
7.  We reaffirm our com mitment to fully implement the Decision on Measures Corncerning the 
Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed and Net Food –Importing 
Developing Countries, including differential treatment in line with the Marrakesh Decision in th e 
context of the agriculture negotiations, in recognition of the challenges that these Members 
continue to face.  
8.  We reaffirm our commitment to continue to address in every area of WTO work, in a 
substantive and meaningful manner, the needs of small, vulner able economies (SVEs) and to 
favourably consider the adoption of such measures as would facilitate their fuller integration into WT/MIN(17)/36  
 
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  the multilateral trading system. We will take into account the needs of SVEs in all areas of 
negotiations, without creating a s ub-category of WTO Members.  
9.  We recognize the special situation of the Members acceded in accordance with Article XII of the 
Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization who have undertaken extensive market 
access commitments at the time of accession . This situation shall be taken into account in the 
negotiations.  
10.  Without creating new sub -categories of WTO  Members, we also recognize the needs and 
challenges of the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).  
11.   We also believe in the importance of accessions to the WTO and underscore the need to 
facilitate and accelerate accession of more countries to the WTO, in particular least -developed 
countries.  
12.  We recognize the role WTO and international trade can play in  development and poverty 
reduction by boosting growth in line with 2030 sustainable development goals in -so-far as they 
relate to WTO mandate. Integration into the Multilateral Trading System of the WTO helps the 
long-term growth prospects of developing co untry Members. By increasing growth, trade can also 
make available the necessary resources to implement other development targets. In this regard, 
we call for full engagement of WTO Members to achieve all SDG targets in the area of trade.  
13.  We reaffirm the p ositive link between trade and development and call for focused work in the 
Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) in accordance with its mandate.   
14.  We express our sincere wishes to see a forward -looking and balanced outcome at this 
Ministerial Conferenc e. 
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