WT/MIN(17)/INF/29  
 
8 December 2017  
(17-6751) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017   
 
NOTE TO DELEGATIONS  
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS  FOR THE OPENING SESS ION 
The Opening Session of the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference will be held on Sunday, 
10 December 2017 in the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre . 
 
The Conference will be opened at 4:00 p.m.  by the Chair of the Eleventh Session of the  Ministerial 
Conference , H.E.  Ms. Susana Malcorra . 
 
The Opening Session will be divided into two parts.  
 
During the first part, t he Chairman of the General Council will present to the Conference  a report 
of the WTO activities in Geneva, and will refer to the reports of the General Council, the TNC and 
the Negotiating Groups and to proposals made. The MC11 Chairperson will then propo se the 
adoption of the agenda for the Eleventh Session  of the Ministerial Conference, circulated in 
document WT/MIN(17)/W/1, dated 2 November 2017.  
 
The second par t of the Opening Session will be attended by the Presidents of Argentina, Br azil, 
Paraguay, U ruguay and other dignitaries from countries in the region. T he Director -General will 
address the Conf erence, and the Presidents  will deliver statements and sign a Presidential 
Declaration.  
 
Considering the presence of high -level dignitaries, Delegations should arrive  at the  Buenos 
Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  at least 60 minutes before the Opening Session  — 
and preferably sooner . Delegations are kindly requested to be seated by 3 :30 p.m. , at which 
point the doors of the Buenos Aires Exhibition a nd Convention Centre will be closed for the arrival 
of the President. Please note that no access to the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  
will be permitted once the doors are closed.  
1  TRANSPORT AND ACCESS  ARRANGEMENTS  
Delegations are advised tha t the meeting will begin on time. In this regard, delegations are 
strongly encouraged to allow adequate time for any traffic -related delays in Buenos Aires  and 
security screening at the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  in advance of the Openin g 
Session.  
 
Ministers and Heads of Delegation are invited to use the VIP Entrance  to access the Buenos 
Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  to attend the Opening Session. VIP cars will drop off 
Ministers / HoDs  and those traveling in the same car at the drop -off point. As Ministers and their 
entourages will not go through screening at the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  
Gates, they will need to pass through security at Entrance A. Please note that no drop -off will be 
permitted within the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  compound after 2:30 p.m. 
These security arrangements will be in place only during the Opening Session . 
 
(See map below)   
 WT/MIN(17)/INF/29  
 
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  2  ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES ATTENDING THE OPENING 
SESSION  
 
 
 
3  PROTOCOL AND SECURIT Y 
Only MC1 1 attendees with an "Opening Session" badge will be allowed to attend the Opening 
Session. Badges for the Opening Ses sion are distributed to the MC11  Delegation Coordinator when 
collecting the MC11  ID badges for the Delegation. Seating for delegations in the Buenos Aires 
Exhibition and Convention Centre will be indicated by chair bands.  
 
Security officers may access the Opening Session, provided that they have the appropriate official 
Opening Session badge. However, under no circumstances  may security officers carry firearms 
or weapons of any kind into the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Conve ntion Centre  where the Opening 
Session will take place, even when approval is granted to carry such firearms or other weapons in 
other areas of the  Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre  at other times during MC11 . This 
regulation will be strictly e nforced and is not negotiable.  
 
Additional security checks in different locations of the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention 
Centre  may be conducted by the Presidential Security team.  
4  DRESS CODE  
For the Opening Session, delegations are remin ded that the  dress code for MC11 , including the 
Opening Session, is business formal attire or  National Dress.  
5  PHOTOGRAPHY  
Delegations are kindly requested not to take photographs  or to film the Opening Session.  
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