WT/MIN(17)/ST/82  
 
4 January  2018 
(18-0029) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR  AXEL ADDY  
MINISTER OF COMMERCE  AND INDUSTRY  
LIBERIA  
One year ago, Liberia joined the WTO. My President, H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, spoke at the 
Nairobi Ministerial  and expressed optimism and unrelenting faith in the diversity, strength and core 
principles of the multilateral trading system.  
 
For Liberia, the WTO is a model for negotiation, development, and partnership. Our accession 
served as a blueprint to implemen t the structural reforms needed and to ensure a predictable and 
transparent trading environment notably through Liberia’s WTO Post -Accession Strategy and 
Implementation Plan.  Liberia remains grateful to the US Government, the Government of Sweden 
and the S wedish National Board of Trade, the EIF, ITC, UNCTAD, the WTO and the African Union 
for their support in our journey towards inclusive economic transformation..  
 
During this Ministerial, Liberia joined Afghanistan, Comoros, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor -Leste 
and Yemen to launch the G 7+ Accessions Group to ensure continued partnership and faster 
integration for fragile and conflict affected states in international trade. Also in this regard, let me 
highlight Liberia’s support for the application of South Suda n for observer status at the WTO.  
 
Today, we find the multilateral trading system under threat. As such, Liberia associates itself with 
the Joint Declaration on the Multilateral Trading System and also supports the Joint Declaration on 
Trade and Women Emp owerment.  
 
Today too many of our citizens live in realities of hopelessness and indignity. What we as a body 
have negotiated into trade rules based on consensus, meant to transform those realities, has not 
translated into a realization of inclusive prosper ity for all. As such, it means we still have much 
work to do. In this vein, my delegation challenges all of us, in a spirit of cooperation and oneness 
of purpose, for the sake of the bottom billion, to explore all possible opportunities of convergence 
not only on outstanding issues but also new realities affecting global trade. We must commit to 
finding points of convergence on outstanding DDA issues however small they may be. If we truly 
aspire to go far in the right direction for a better life for all of our citizens, regardless the locations 
of their birth, we must commit to walking together.  
 
In a rapidly changing world, the economic order that drives our exchanges of goods and services 
has also evolved and as a body, we must commit to constructive dialo gue on new issues if we are 
to remain relevant. Our failure to do so will fail the dreams and aspirations of our citizens 
venturing in new frontiers with the wrong direction from the wrong authorities on global trade. 
To this end, my delegation welcomes th e dialogue on e -commerce, MSMEs and investment 
facilitation.  
 
In a few days, Liberians will be going to the polls to elect a new administration, the first 
democratic transition since 1944. We call on this body to support the new administration in the  
imple mentation of the WTO Post -Accession plan for the restructuring of the economy, and for 
inclusive growth that is more sustainable. We have come a long way in a short period of time, and 
it is vital that the next administration continues the process we have started.  
 
Today we exist in a globally connected reality, a force of our own creation, now a force of nature. 
No nation, absolutely, no nation can ever again exist as an island in today’s reality. This body, our WT/MIN(17)/ST/82  
 
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  World Trade Organization, is the only global  structure positioned to derived rules and solutions 
based on consensus that can help to steer this force of nature as a force for good. To leave such a 
force unchecked, with no direction, is to risk a reality of an uncivilized world of survival of the 
fittest. This organization, our WTO matters more today, more than it has ever mattered in the 
history of this organization given our more complex interconnected world. It is therefore all of our 
collective responsibility to make it a true force for good, ensu ring equal prosperity for all. Where 
the quality of global trade is guided by lives transformed. My delegation, Liberia, stands ready to 
work, are you?  
 
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