WT/MIN(15)/W/15  
16 November 2015  
(15-6040)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: French  
 
  INFORMAL MEETINGS OF HEADS OF DELEGATION IN CONNECTION WITH 
THE DRAFTING OF THE NAIROBI MINISTERIAL DECLARATION 
STATEMENTS BY THE DELEGATION OF BENIN 
The following communication, dated 12 November 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Benin.  
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 1  STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION OF BENIN ON PART I OF THE MINISTERIAL 
DECLARATION – 10 NOVEMBER 2015 
1.1.  The delegation of Benin would like to congratulate you on the excellent manner in which you 
have chaired this session. 
1.2.  We thank the WTO Director-General and all of the other facilitators for their efforts in 
connection with the preparation of MC10, and in particular, the ongoing process of preparing the draft Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. 
1.3.  The process we have just begun is very important, much like the building of an edifice, where 
the first blows of the pickaxe signal the start of the action and the effort. 
1.4.  The delegation of Benin believes that the draft Declaration should have a preambular part. 
It also supports the recommendation that the development dimension be reflected in the text. 
1.5.  At the same time, alongside the other objectives enshrined in the founding texts of the WTO, 
we must reaffirm the criterion of predictability of the rules, principles and mechanisms governing international trade. 
1.6.  Point 3 on the importance of trade for development and the Least Developed Countries 
(LDCs) should be split into two parts: a separate point should be devoted to the LDCs owing to 
their particular situation and their specific needs.  
1.7.  The delegation of Benin also supports the reference to Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs) and to the Paris Climate Summit. 
1.8.  Indeed, this reference forms part of the vision whereby the results of international 
conferences must be implemented and followed-up effectively and harmoniously. The delegation of 
Benin stresses the need to address the challenges  that the disruptions in our climate (floods, 
droughts and desertification, cold waves, cyclon es and hurricanes, etc.) - which spare no country, 
no region and no population group - represent for humanity. 
1.9.  Finally, the delegation of Benin will continue to make its contribution to our work. WT/MIN(15)/W/15 
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  2  STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION OF BE NIN ON PART III OF THE MINISTERIAL 
DECLARATION – 11 NOVEMBER 2015 
2.1.  The delegation of Benin would like to thank you, as well as the WTO Director-General and the 
other facilitators, for your efforts to reach consensus on a draft text in the framework of the 
ongoing process of preparing the draft Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. 
2.2.  The delegation of Benin associates itself with the statements made by Barbados on behalf of 
the ACP Group, Lesotho on behalf of the Africa n Group, and Mali on behalf of the C4 Group. 
We also agree with the proposals and recommendations made by Egypt individually. 
2.3.  Benin shares the view that it is in Part III of the Ministerial Declaration that other issues that 
have not been properly addressed and have not received complete answers should be mentioned 
in a comprehensive and structured manner. 
2.4.  During the presentations made on 6 November 2015 and this afternoon, we have heard 
proposals on topics for negotiation, reflecting the interest of Members in the issues that those topics raise. 
2.5.  The renewed commitment by Members to move forward with the work on these issues must 
be reaffirmed, including the resolve to complete the Doha Round of negotiations by the 11
th Ministerial Conference in December 2017 at the latest. 
2.6.  Similarly, the major issues relating to the global economy and to the interrelationship with 
international trade should be spelt out, in particular the mutual support between trade and the environment, in a manner consistent with the effective and harmonious follow-up to RIO+20. 
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