WT/MIN(13)/ST/110  
11 February 2014  
(14-0803)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Ninth Session 
Bali, 3-6 December 2013  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY HON. ALVA BAPTISTE 
MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND CIVIL AVIATION 
SAINT LUCIA 
Permit me to extend appreciation and thanks to the government and people of Indonesia for 
hosting this Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference, the efficiency demonstrated in its organisation and the incredible hospitality shown to me and my delegation since our arrival in Bali. We would also like to welcome Yemen into the WTO family. 
 
Saint Lucia and the Members of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (the OECS) wish to align with statements made on behalf of the ACP Group, on behalf of CARICOM, on behalf of 
small and vulnerable economies as well as those of the G33 and the Informal Group of Developing 
Countries.  
As small vulnerable economies (SVE), which face unique challenges that constrain sustainable 
economic growth and development, Saint Lucia along with the OECS wish to reiterate the importance of having and maintaining a multilateral trading system that is fair, equitable, rules based and responsive to members’ needs, both la rge and small. We are very concerned that this 
may be under threat if we are unable to come to an agreement here in Bali and even more so if 
we are unable to complete the entire Doha De velopment Agenda. We must do all within our 
integrated whole to secure an outcome here in Bali to prevent the WTO from going into cardiac 
arrest. This will allow us to turn to the post Bali work programme for completing the entire round 
in the near future.  
To this end, we recognize the work undertake n by the WTO under the Small Economies Work 
Programme and fully support the mandate to continue the work. In this regard, Saint Lucia and the OECS continue to urge that special and differential treatment be recognized as a key aspect of the Multilateral Trading System and urge that this be reflected in all aspects of the WTO’s work 
programme. 
 Saint Lucia and the OECS also support the continued emphasis on the Aid for Trade agenda which 
places in the spotlight the important role that de velopment support can play in addressing supply 
side capacities for greater integration in the global trading system.  
Saint Lucia also welcomes the progress on the Trade Facilitation negotiations because in order for 
trade to be truly facilitated, SVE’s require an addi tional form of facilitation - one that improves 
supply side capacity to access developed and developing country markets.  
We applaud the tremendous efforts of the Director General for attempting to conclude the Bali 
package. The DG conducted the negotiations in a transparent and inclusive manner for which small delegations like the OECS place tremendous importance. 
 
In closing, I state categorically that our Governments of the OECS reaffirm their unambiguous support for the aims of the Doha Development Round to achieve reform of the multilateral trading 
system and to pursue as a fundamental object ive, the improvement of trading prospects for 
developing countries. If we are to power ahead with consistency and purpose, the outcome of 
work undertaken in Geneva should not be lost but instead be harvested. Because, our Ambassadors moved texts from a state where they were mostly bracketed to one in which no WT/MIN(13)/ST/110 
 
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  brackets remain and others where only a few brackets remain. Hence, we must not curse the 
remaining dark, we must continue to gather the light.  Colleagues, the eyes of the entire world are fixed on Bali; our peoples look to us for honest 
purpose; let us not falter. Because the posture assumed today will light us down in honour or 
dishonour through the long tracks of future time.  
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