WT/MIN(17)/ST/44  
 
13 December 2017  
(17-6929) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY MRS. SHEITHA SENARAT HNA 
ADDITIONAL SECRETARY  
SRI LANKA 
I deliver this speech on behalf on Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister  of Industry and Commerce of 
Sri Lanka who was unable to present here to attend this august meeting due to unavoidable 
urgent circumstances.  
I am privileged to be here at this 11th Ministerial Conference as it is a historic moment of having 
the first WTO Ministerial in this region. I con vey my sincere thanks and appreciation to the 
government of Argentina, in particular, Hon. Susana Malcorra, the Chairperson of the august 
gathering and her team for the great hospitality they have been extending to us since our arrival.  
The global trading environment continues to evolve posing formidable challenges as well as 
opportunities. Slow growth in trade, challenges from the digital transformation, attracting FDI, 
level of unemployment, access to trade financing and sustainable development are some o f the 
great challenges that many of us encountered today.  The role of rules based multilateral trading 
system led by WTO has therefore become more crucial in paving a level playing field for its 
members in particular for small economies such as Sri Lanka in supporting their integration into 
the world trading system.  
Director General of WTO once stated that trade has proven to be on e of the best anti -poverty, 
pro-growth and pro -development tools in history. The question is how we maintain such positive 
role of trade and derived the desired benefits in this challenging multilateral trading environment.  
We as members from developing countries while making every effort to align our policies with our 
multilateral commitments, expect WTO to play a role of the f acilitator of our development goals. 
Such win -win situation is the key success factor for achieving Sustainable Development Goals 
ensuring our meaningful and sustainable integration into the world trading system.  
In this regard, I wish to emphasize role o f WTO as enabler of making necessary technical and 
capacity development assistance for Small Economies such as Sri Lanka particularly in the areas of 
Aid for Trade, Transfer of Technology, Trade Facilitation, Trade Finance and Development. 
Such assistance has proven positive gains facilitating way for better integration in to the world 
trade.  
With regard to my country, we adopted Trade liberalization policies since 1977 which 
complemented in establishing multilateral rule -based trading environment. Sri Lank a considers 
international trade as the engine of its economic growth. The country’s geographical location, 
conducive business environment complemented with a knowledge -based society have offered 
competitive strengths to the country and its trading partners . The growth strategies are therefore, 
aimed at participatory approach to sustainable development creating opportunities for 
international trade.   
Sri Lanka places its highest importance to the WTO -led multilateral trading system and the Doha 
Development Agenda as the way for the country’s sustainable integration in to the global trade. 
Sri Lanka therefore, looks forward to pragmatic address of remaining issues of the DDA, with WT/MIN(17)/ST/44  
 
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  adequate and meaningful policy space to facilitate the country’s full integrati on in to the global 
trade.  
WTO members' positions continue to diverge significantly on the substantive issues, despite best 
efforts and the fact that there is no agreed negotiated outcomes in Geneva. It shows how 
intransigent and difficult the process had  been. Based on the current situation, Sri Lanka believes 
that it would be reasonable to expect outcomes on agriculture, development, and rules which are 
also in the DDA and our expectation that we will be able to issue renewed mandates for 
continuation of  many developmental issues, where the progress is lacking as they are important to 
Small and Vulnerable Economies such as Sri Lanka.  
In concluding, I wish to take this opportunity to convey the appreciations of the go vernment of 
Sri Lanka to Mr. Roberto A zevêdo, Director General of the WTO for all his hard work and excellent 
leadership.  
Once again stressing on Sri Lanka’s belief that the World Trade Organization remains the premier 
negotiating forum to improve multilateral trade rules, I wish successful c onclusion of this 
Ministerial.  
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