WT/L/1058  
 
4 February 2019  
(19-0616) Page: 1/2 
  Original: English  
 
AFRICAN GROUP STATEM ENT 
INFORMAL  WTO MINISTERIAL GATHERIN G, W EF, DAVOS, 25 JANUAR Y 2019  
The following communication, dated 1 February 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Benin.  
 
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• This statement is circulated by H.E. Minister Rob Davies to the informal WTO Ministerial 
gathering in Davos on behalf of Benin, as the Coordinator of the African Group1. We thank the 
Government of Switzerland for hosting this meeting.  
• The two most serious and immediate risks to  the relev ance of the MTS:  First, the 
unprecedented challenges of unilateral trade measures  that violate WTO rules and 
principles and that have provoked retaliation. Self-judging national security justification takes 
us into uncharted areas and may proliferate , crea ting new sources of instability and 
uncertainty.  
• Second, t he continuing impasse in the Appellate Body  selection process threatens the DSM 
that is the foundation of a functioning MTS. Without a solution here by December, the DSM 
will be rendered obsolete an d all our other work and efforts would be redundant .  
• Many developing countries, including in Africa, have long reasoned that the system has 
prejudiced our trade and development interests  and that the system needs to be rebalanced 
for equity and fairness, and in a manner and at a pace appropriate to national circumstances .  
This is the content of the WTO Reform  we need.  
• It beggars belief that those who designed the system and who have been its main beneficiaries 
now suggest the system is unfair and needs re form. Most of the ideas in the p roposals recently 
submitted in the name of reform  do not address the real imbalances in the MTS.  
• The sanctions element of the proposal on  Transparency  is one example . 
• The proposals for graduation and differentiation are another. These are divisive and unlikely 
to yield results. Trying to change the principle of self -declaration is also impractical . 
• A more productive approach would acknowledge that S&DT principles are sufficiently flexible 
to address differences in the act ual negotiating process  and to not worsen imbalances . For all 
their shortcomings, the agricultural and NAMA texts under the Doha agenda were replete with 
examples of differentiation and flexibility to accommodate real differences in the actual 
circumstance s of Members. Notably, in the fisheries subsidies negotiations, flexibility and 
S&DT is required to address our capacity constraints and to build our fishing industry 
capabilities in the future. The African Group will not agree to any proposals disadvantag ing 
any of its Members through a change to the negotiating mandate o r by using irrelevant criteria.  
                                                
1 This statement is without prejudice to the position of Nigeria.  WT/L/1058  
 
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  • We see an unfair contradiction in the call to narrow flexibility on S&DT but demand more 
flexibility  by selectively under mining  WTO con sensus decision makin g as a way to advance 
plurilateral  outcomes that will themselves fragment and undermine the MTS.  
• The challenges facing the WTO will not be addressed if plurilateral work is prioriti zed over 
multilateral processes or  cherry -pickin g some rules to  be preserv ed and others reformed.  
• Recall outcomes at MC8 and MC9. Recent failure s in the negotiating function in the WTO are 
primarily a function of an inability to negotiate or compromise on unreasonably ambitio us 
demands. Reasonable demands, compromise and flexib ility are essential to advance 
negotiations . 
• Must also recognize that more trade liberalization and harmoniz ing 'behind the border rules ' 
do not necessarily promote development. We need to accept the diversity of national 
circumstances, varying policy impe ratives and the need for adequate policy space to 
accommodate those.  
• The objectives of the AU 's Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want  require p olicy space to pursue 
integration and industrial development objectives.  
African Trade Ministers met in Cairo in December 2018 and issued a Declaration on WTO 
(WT/L/1054). The key points to preserve the MTS and ensure it remains relevant to Members 
include:  
 
• Refrain from WTO -inconsistent unilateral measures.  
• Resolve t he AB impasse  as a matter of priority .  
• Advance the longstanding matters of importa nce to Africa, notably on trade distorting 
domestic support, c otton, public stockholding, net food importing developing countries, 
fishery subsidies, a nd making S &DT more effective.  
• Recall and reaffirm previous Ministerial and General Council Decisions.  
• Preserve the principles and procedures established in the Marrakesh Agreement, including 
S&DT, decisions by consensus and the requirement for multilateral mandates for 
negotiations.  
• Ensure WT O outcomes support Africa 's integration and industrialisation objectives.  
• Desist from making  deman ds on  African countries in accession  that are inconsistent with 
their levels of development and capabilities.   
• Discussions on the future of the WTO must promo te development and inclusiveness, and 
includes the common interests of Afr ica. 
 
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