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WT/MIN(15)/SR/7  
 
9 March 2016  
(16-1397)  Page: 1/15  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015    
 
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE SEVENTH MEETING 
HELD AT THE KENYATTA INTERNATIO NAL CONVENTION CENTRE (KICC), 
NAIROBI, KENYA ON THURSDAY, 17 DECEMBER, AT 4.30 P.M. 
Chairperson: Her Excellency Dr Amina Mohamed (Kenya) 
1  ACTION BY MINISTERS (AGENDA ITEM 2) – ACCESSION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC 
OF AFGHANISTAN 
1.1.  The Chairperson welcomed H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan, First Deputy Chief Executive of the 
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the other memb ers of the delegation of Afghanistan that were 
present at the meeting, including H.E. Homayoon  Rasaw, Minister of Commerce and Industries, 
and H.E. Mozammil Shinwari, Deputy Minister and Chief Negotiator for Accession. She then took 
up the Accession of the Islamic Republic of Afgh anistan under item 2 of the Agenda, Action by 
Ministers. She recalled that on 11 November 2015, the Working Party had approved, ad referendum, the accession package of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Report of the 
Working Party was before the Ministerial Conference in documents WT/ACC/AFG/36 – 
WT/MIN/(15)/6 and Addenda 1 and 2, for consider ation and adoption. She invited the Chairperson 
of the Working Party of the Accession of Af ghanistan, Ambassador Roderick van Schreven 
(Netherlands), to introduce the Report of the Working Party. 
1.2.  Ambassador Roderick van Schreven (Netherlands), Chairperson of the Working Party of the 
Accession of Afghanistan, was honoured to presen t the "Report of the Working Party" and to join 
the Ministerial Conference in welcoming H.E. Mr . Mohammad Khan, the Delegation of Afghanistan 
and Members of the Negotiating Team. 
1.3.  The Working Party had been established on 13 December 2004 to examine Afghanistan's 
request for WTO accession. The accession process of Afghanistan had taken 11 years and 4 days. 
The Working Party had held five (5) formal meetings and he had the pleasure to chair four of 
them, including the final Working Party meeting held on 11 November. 
1.4.  The results of the accession negotiations were contained in the following three documents: 
The Report of the Working Party, circulated in document WT/ACC/AFG/36 - WT/MIN/(15)/6; The 
Schedule of Concessions and Commitments on Goods, contained in document WT/ACC/AFG/36  
WT/MIN(15)/6/Add.1; and, The Schedule of Specific Commitments on Services, contained in document WT/ACC/AFG/36 - WT/MIN(15)/6/Add.2. 
1.5.  The Accession Package of Afghanistan had been adopted at the fifth and final Working Party 
Meeting on 11 November 2015 on an ad referendum  basis. By that action, the Working Party had 
completed its mandate and forwarded the Report to which he had just referred to the Ministerial 
Conference for decision. 
1.6.  The Appendix to the Report reproduced the draft Decision for the Ministerial Conference and 
the draft Protocol on the Accession of the Isla mic Republic of Afghanistan to the Marrakesh 
Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organiza tion. The Accession Protocol incorporated, by 
reference, the specific commitments undertaken by Afghanistan in the Report of the Working 
Party. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.7.  As Chairman of the Working Party, foll owing his assessment of the Accession Package of 
Afghanistan with the Secretariat Team, compared to 35 previous Accession Packages, he was in a position to report to the Ministerial Conference that the Accession Package of Afghanistan was of 
high quality, and made a significant contributi on to improving market access opportunities, and 
strengthening the WTO. Above all, it provided Afghanistan with a platform for a long-term agenda 
for domestic reforms for welfare-enhancing growth. 
1.8.  WTO accessions entailed far-reaching domestic  reforms. They could not be concluded without 
high-level political commitment and leadership. He wished to place on record, on behalf of the 
WTO, his appreciation to President Ashraf Ghani fo r receiving him and the Director of Accessions in 
the month of November for a dialogue that had linked the domestic economic priorities of the 
Government to the Draft Accession Package of Afgh anistan. That Mission to Kabul had made all the 
difference and he thanked President Ghani for his leadership. 
1.9.  Afghanistan was a landlocked, least-developed country, facing many challenges on poverty 
reduction. At the same time, it was a country with great potential, not the least due to the quality 
and education of its population. During his visit in Kabul, he had been impressed by the strong 
commitments taken up by the Government of Afghanistan to integrate into the world economy and do the necessary structural reforms. Economic growth and job creation were necessary for poverty 
reduction and stability. WTO membership would contribute to that and would, more importantly, 
give hope to the population and in particular, th e youth of Afghanistan, in a better future. They 
deserved it. 
1.10.  He also paid tribute to Minister Humayoon Rasaw and National Economic Advisor Omar 
Zakhilwal who had worked hard to steer through th e Draft Accession Package in its final stage. No 
less, as Chairperson, he paid tribute as well to his friend and Deputy Minister Mozammil Shinwari, Chief Negotiator. He had been key in Afghanistan's accession. The work of the entire team, under 
the most challenging of circumstances, had been exemplary. 
1.11.  He also acknowledged the contributions of his predecessors who had chaired the Working 
Party – Ambassador I.M. De Jong, and Ambassador B.J. van Eenennaam – and had steered the 
proceedings in the earlier stages. 
1.12.  WTO Members deserved the highest tribute. They had worked hard with the Delegation of 
Afghanistan and had shown goodwill and compromise at difficult moments. 
1.13.  As the Chairperson of the Working Party, he placed on record his deep appreciation to 
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and the WTO Secr etariat. He paid particular tribute to the 
Director of the Accessions Division, Chiedu Osakwe, the Secretary and Co-Secretary of the Working Party. They had worked tirelessly and, consistently, had given sound advice. Many had 
contributed to that result. 
1.14.  In his capacity as Chairperson of the Working Party, he had the privilege to commend the 
Protocol on the Accession of the Islamic Republic  of Afghanistan for approval and to commend the 
draft Decision and the Report of the Working Part y for adoption by the Ministerial Conference. By 
adopting, Members would take a historical step for Afghanistan, but also for the WTO underlining the importance of the growing organization. 
1.15.  The Chairperson thanked Ambassador van Schreven for having served as Chairperson of the 
Working Party for the past three years. 1.16.  In light of the report presented by Amba ssador van Schreven, she took up the package of 
Afghanistan's accession documents one by one. In keeping with usual practice, she began with the 
draft Protocol of Accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as contained in the Report of the 
Working Party and invited the Ministerial Confer ence to approve the Draft Protocol on the 
Accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. She then invited the Ministerial Conference, in 
accordance with the Decision-Making Procedures under Articles IX and XII of the WTO Agreement 
agreed in November 1995 (WT/L/93), to adopt the draft Decision on the Accession of the Islamic 
Republic of Afghanistan as contained in the Repo rt of the Working Party. She then invited the 
Ministerial Conference to adopt the Report of  the Working Party as a whole in documents 
WT/ACC/AFG/36 - WT/MIN/(15)/6 and the Addenda 1 and 2. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.17.  The Ministerial Conference so agreed. 
1.18.  The Chairperson welcomed the Decision the Ministerial Conference had just taken on the 
Accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanista n to the World Trade Organization. She extended 
her congratulations to H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan and his entire team, and to the people and the 
Government of Afghanistan on the successful co mpletion of the WTO accession process. The 
Decision they had just taken on the Accession of Afghanistan, further to the one just taken on the 
Accession of Liberia the previous day, was anothe r sign of the world's confidence in the WTO and 
the multilateral trading system. Through its future membership in the WTO, Afghanistan would 
have a stable and predictable framework for economic engagement with other nations which would boost trade, growth and prosperity. 
1.19.  With regard to the further steps on Afghanistan's formal entry as a WTO Member, she 
informed the Ministerial Conference  that the Signing Ceremony of the Accession Protocol by First 
Deputy Chief Executive Mr. Mohammad Khan and WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo would take place immediately following the session. The Government of Afghanistan would then submit 
the Protocol for ratification by its legislative assembly. In keeping with WTO provisions, 
Afghanistan would become a Member of the WTO thirty days following the deposit of the Instrument of Acceptance of the Protocol by Afghanistan. 
1.20.  H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan, First Deputy Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan, extended his profound gratitude to President Uhuru Kenyatta for hosting the 
conference in Nairobi, and for the warm welcome and hospitality exhibited by the Kenyan people. 
As the First Deputy to Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah of the National Unity government, it 
was a great honour for him to sign, on behalf of  his President, H.E. Dr Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, 
the Protocol of Accession of Afghanistan to the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization. 
1.21.  It was a historic day for the people of Afghanistan who had embraced democratic values 
and market economy principles. Afghanistan's membership in the WTO would cement its long-standing commitment to open economy, transparency, rule of law, good governance, non-
discrimination, and market instruments for the development of its economy and private sector, 
and for the alleviation of poverty in Afghanistan. WTO membership had always been an integral part of its overall strategic objectives to achieve economic stability, improve regional security and cooperation, and achieve everlasting peace. 
1.22.  Afghanistan intended to maximize the bene fits of WTO membership to support key aspects 
of its self-reliance strategy presented by its President and Chief Executive during the London Conference in December 2014. Its President viewed  the WTO process as an engine for achieving 
sound structural reforms and strengthening market instruments. Its accession process had lasted 
about eleven years. It had been a learning expe rience for the country where significant capacity 
had been built within its governmental institutions, private sector, academic institutions, and civil 
society organizations. 
1.23.  The reforms accomplished through the process had been enormous. He thanked those who 
had helped and accompanied Afghanistan on that long journey. He was deeply appreciative of the Director-General in making the accession of least-developed countries a priority and for supporting 
the completion of Afghanistan's accession by MC10. He was grateful to the esteemed Chairperson 
of its Working Party, H.E. Mr. Roderick van Schr even, Ambassador of The Netherlands, for creating 
the conditions for constructive and productive negotiations with its trading partners, Members of 
the WTO, and for helping Afghanistan overcome accession bottlenecks. 
1.24.  Afghanistan could not have been there that day without the support, constructive approach, 
and the understanding of WTO Members of its development needs as a post-conflict, landlocked, 
and least-developed economy. Afghanistan appreciated Members for the dedication and flexibility 
that they had exhibited during a challenging negotiation process. 
1.25.  He thanked the WTO Accessions Division led by Mr. Chiedu Osakwe for its cooperative role 
in substantially facilitating its accession process. He commended the Division for its high degree of 
professionalism. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.26.  He thanked the numerous countries and inte rnational organizations for their assistance in 
capacity building at various stages of Afghanis tan's accession process, including the WTO, UN-
ESCAP, International Trade Centre, China, the Eu ropean Union, India, the Netherlands, and the 
United Kingdom. He was grateful for the extensiv e technical assistance and support and capacity 
building provided throughout the process by the United States Agency for International 
Development and looked forward to its continuing support in building technical capacity and establishing proper institutional mechanisms for handling post-accession matters. 
1.27.  Afghanistan's commitment to liberal trade and international cooperation was not new. 
Afghanistan had been at the heart of the old Silk  Road. Historically, Afghanistan had been a land 
bridge in the region connecting East and West and Central Asia, to its north, with South Asia. As a good citizen of the WTO, Afghanistan would live up to its rules and principles and uphold its 
traditions of facilitating trade and transit. 
1.28.  During the past fourteen years, Afghanistan had been gradually recovering due to the 
strong will and determination of the Afghan people for a better future and with the invaluable 
support of its international partners. Those part ners, along with the Afghan people, had made 
significant sacrifices toward their main goal of a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. Together, 
they had made significant progress on multiple fronts in their effort at nation rebuilding and 
poverty alleviation.  
1.29.  At present, Afghanistan was a democracy with separation of power between three branches 
of Government: the executive, the legislative, an d the judiciary. Strengthening its democracy was 
one of the principle reasons it sought WTO membership. It had made women participation in 
government and business a priority. Many programs were underway to develop the capacity of 
Afghan women on a sustainable basis. Twenty five  percent of the members of its parliament were 
women and more than a dozen women presently hold high-ranking positions within its 
government, including four cabinet ministers. The number of women-owned businesses had been 
constantly increasing with over 400 registered women-owned businesses in addition to individual entrepreneurs. 
1.30.  Afghanistan provided equal opportunity to all without any discrimination. Afghanistan's 
labour law strictly prohibited child labour, and it had taken effective measures to enforce those provisions. Its armed forces and internal security forces were stronger than ever, and had become effective. The process of institutional rebuilding was nearing completion. Communal and state 
services for its citizens had been improved, although it was true that it still had huge power 
shortages. Although major road construction projects had been completed linking major cities and key border points, it still had major infrastructure projects awaiting finance and execution, 
including irrigation systems and rail development. 
1.31.  Many steps had been undertaken to curtail corruption and create greater fiscal efficiency in 
Afghanistan's public procurement system. It trus ted that the implementation of the WTO rules-
based system would contribute to its campaign against corruption. 
1.32.  Afghanistan had utilized its WTO accession process as an engine to shape its policies, laws, 
and institutions; to increase transparency; to strengthen the rule of law and legal protection of investors' rights, including property rights; and to guaranty access to administrative appeals as 
well as judicial and arbitral bodies. At present, it had a favourable trade and investment regime 
with effective commercial laws and sound trade policies and laws based on WTO agreements. It had also joined, and renewed its membership, in numerous international organizations relevant to 
international trade and had ratified the Montreal Protocol for protection of the environment. 
Developing regional trade had been a high priority during the last decade, particularly given its proximity to the most populated region in the world with over three billion consumers. 
1.33.  Afghanistan was an active member of the South Asian Association for Economic Cooperation 
and signatory to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It was also a member of the Economic Cooperation Organization with Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and the central Asian republics. In addition, it was a 
member of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation framework. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.34.  Afghanistan had maintained an open transi t policy and facilitated connectivity within the 
region including major North-South energy transit projects. It had recently launched the implementation of the Central Asia South Asia (CASA one thousand) project which would supply South Asia with thousand megawatts of electric power from energy rich Central Asia. Four days 
ago, they had inaugurated the launching of the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-
Pakistan-India (TAPI) project – a thousand eight hundred and fourteen kilometre gas pipeline.  
1.35.  Additional similar projects were being negotiated to increase regional trade and cooperation. 
Three transport corridors under the framework of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation 
(CAREC) framework crossed the territory of Afghanistan and provided links between China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikist an, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and beyond those 
countries. Those corridors provided North-South and East-West transport links. They were also at 
an advanced stage of concluding negotiations of the Lapis Lazuli Transit and Transport corridor 
which would link Afghanistan, Turkmeni stan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. 
1.36.  Most of Afghanistan's current trade was with its regional partners. Although WTO 
membership would help it to diversify, Afghanistan invited investors to its country to benefit from 
the access provided through the WTO and region al agreements as well as GSP preferences 
provided for Afghanistan by key WTO Members, including Canada, China, the Eurasian Economic 
Community (encompassing Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation), the European 
Union, Japan, India, South Korea and the United States. Those who traded with and invested in Afghanistan were pleased to find that it had a skilled and educated workforce and a relatively low cost of production, as well as a stable, predictable, and non-discriminatory business environment 
based on WTO principles and rules. 
1.37.  There were tremendous opportunities for investment in Afghanistan, including in 
exploration, extraction, and processing of natural resources. Its natural resources reserves were 
estimated to be three trillion US dollars. In addition, it had significant opportunities in value-added 
industry in areas such as agro-processing, carpets, construction materials, medical herbs, marble, and gemstones. There were also opportunities in the services sphere including financial services, 
transport, construction, health, education, and logistics services. Its priority was to develop infant 
industries and grow a large-scale manufacturing and assembly base, which would create a large number of employment opportunities for the growing number of unemployed young persons. 
1.38.  Afghanistan was assuming its natural role in the world economy that day and would 
significantly contribute to the strengthening of the rules-based multilateral trading system. There 
was no doubt that an open economy would facilitate and accelerate Afghanistan's development. WTO membership had helped Afghanistan create the conditions for attracting foreign investors and 
for enabling economic development and growth. It welcomed investors to help it unlock its 
economic potential and exploit its comparative advantage to maximize economic growth. 
1.39.  Trade-led growth would create new economic  opportunities and jobs especially for women, 
and would reduce poverty and increase prosperity – dissuading younger generations from being 
lured by terrorist organizations. It would contribu te to dramatically reduce extremism and achieve 
regional peace and security in a major way. Afghanistan placed high hopes in its WTO membership to help the country in that regard.  
1.40.  WTO membership would strengthen and improve Afghanistan's relations with neighbouring 
WTO Members. His delegation encouraged other ne ighbouring countries to accelerate their WTO 
accession process in order to create a level playing field and maximize harmonization to the 
mutual benefit of all economies, economic actors, and consumers in the region. Afghanistan had 
come a long way to integrate into the multilateral trading system. Its negotiations team, led by Deputy Minister Mozammil Shinwari, had done a ph enomenal job in achieving that accession. The 
nation was thankful for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism in engaging all 
stakeholders in that process in a productive and constructive manner. 
1.41.  Afghanistan expressed its profound gratitude to the countries and international 
organizations that had been aiding its recovery, reconstruction, development, and security. It 
congratulated Liberia on completing its journey to become a WTO Member. It also congratulated 
Kazakhstan for becoming a WTO Member on 30 November. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.42.  The President of Afghanistan, H.E. Dr Ashr af Ghani, and the nation's Chief Executive, H.E. 
Dr Abdullah Abdullah presented their compliments to the Director-General and wished him and all 
WTO Members a successful Ministerial Conference. 
1.43.  The Director-General congratulated the Ministerial Conference on the decision Ministers had 
taken to approve the membership of the Islamic Re public of Afghanistan, and the Government of 
Afghanistan on its historic achievement. He was honoured to be joined by Mr Mohammad Khan Rahmani along with his delegation. 
1.44.  For Afghanistan, that was the culmination of an almost 11-year long process of 
negotiations. It was a clear recognition of their efforts and their commitment to the process. It was an endorsement of the extensive programme of  domestic reforms they had undertaken to 
accelerate economic growth. And it was a clear sign for the entire world to see that Afghanistan 
was building a business-friendly environment.  
1.45.  Those undertaking the reforms required to join the WTO tended to grow at around 2.5 
percentage points faster than others once the process was completed. He was thus positive that it 
would have a big impact for Afghanistan. After all, Afghanistan had taken on those commitments 
for a clear purpose — to improve people’s lives through trade. The WTO Members would be its partners in that effort.  
1.46.  Despite very challenging circumstances, an d under the shadow of conflict, Afghanistan had 
shown the determination needed to complete the complex process. He commended the leadership 
of President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in helping to bring those negotiations to a successful conclusion. He paid tribute to: National Economic Adviser Omar Zakhilwal, Minister Humayoon 
Rasa, Deputy Minister Shinwari and the entire negotiating team. He also thanked the WTO 
Members, the WTO Secretariat — with special mention to Mr. Chiedu Osakwe and his team, and Ambassador Roderick van Schreven – a true asset to the process. The Ambassador's personal 
commitment and 'savoir- faire' had been fundamental in leading to that outcome.  
1.47.  The successful end of those negotiations marked the 36th accession negotiation the WTO 
had concluded putting Afghanistan on track to become the WTO’s 36th least-developed country 
Member. That number seemed to be rising fast. The LDCs were more than a fifth of the whole 
WTO membership. It was an important and active constituency. Members had seen that with the approval of the Accession Protocol of Liberia. And he was pleased to say that the WTO had received the membership application of the Federal Republic of Somalia. That was something he 
strongly welcomed and he would work with Members to advance that effort as quickly as possible.  
1.48.  With every accession, another voice would be added to the multilateral trading system – 
adding to its diversity and vibrancy. Afghanistan's accession was therefore an important milestone. 
But it was not the end of the journey. Just as important as the process leading to the accession 
itself was the implementation of the related co mmitments and reforms. That required the right 
resources and know-how — and the WTO would continue to support Afghanistan on that front. 
That was what the “WTO Post-Accession Implementa tion Support Strategy” was all about. It would 
be key to the successful continuation of Afghanistan’s domestic reforms and its integration into the global economy.  
1.49.  He was confident that WTO membership would contribute to establishing a firm foundation 
for Afghanistan’s future development and prosperity. He looked forward to its active participation 
in the work of the WTO. He once again welcomed the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and its people to the WTO. 
1.50.  The representative of Bangladesh, on behalf  of the LDCs, welcomed the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan as the 164th Member of the WTO and the 36th LDC Member. Despite the rapid 
development of economic globalization and regional economic integration, LDCs were yet to have a 
share of the benefit of globalization and fully integrate into the global value chain. Statistics from 
the WTO showed that the present per capita income  of LDCs was just 4% of the average level of 
developed countries. Therefore, by joining the fair, equitable and universally beneficial multilateral trading system that the WTO represented, LDCs co uld gain greater market access opportunities to 
enable them to shake up poverty and move toward sustainable development and peace. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.51.  The WTO currently covered more than 97% of world economy. Being a WTO Member meant 
entering into the mainstream of international trade and in the rules-based multilateral trading system where each Member had equal rights. Upon  accession to the WTO, Afghanistan would be 
on course to integrate into the global economy and market, having benefitted from the fair, free 
and non-discriminatory international trade within the framework of the WTO, and thus gain 
sustainable development. Despite being a landlo cked country and an LDC, Afghanistan had the 
potential for international trade and was also strategically located at the heart of the silk route, 
which could become an important hub for regional trade and transit.  
1.52.  The LDCs thanked the Accession Working Committee and the WTO Secretariat for extending 
cooperation and fast-track support to Afghanistan and for expediting its accession. From 2004 to 2015, Afghanistan had to follow complex and tough accession procedures through fast-track 
accession services provided by the Secretariat.  LDCs had capacity constraints to cope with 
international trade. A rules-based system would thus bring a level playing field for a least-developed country Member such as Afghanistan through free, non-discriminatory market access. 
1.53.  As an LDC, Afghanistan would also enjoy the benefits of special and differential treatment 
under WTO rules, which could enable it to enjoy broader market access in developed and developing-country Members' markets. Utilizing those benefits, as well as tackling post-accession 
challenges such as protection of domestic industries and procedures, lack of institutional 
competency and legal capacity and environmenta l issues would require sincere and successful 
implementation of obligations of the governme nt under WTO law. Accession to the WTO was a 
complex, protracted and difficult process. It was even more so for the LDCs. As such, they were 
given special consideration by the Membership of  the WTO in their accession process. The LDCs 
therefore called upon the WTO Membership to full y operationalize the 22 Addendum of the 2012 
General Council Decision on LDC accession guidelines, which appealed for the expeditious 
conclusion of the remaining LDC accessions.  
1.54.  The LDCs believed that the efforts put in by Afghanistan's Government would bear fruit. 
They hoped that Afghanistan would be able to fully exercise its rights in the organization, would 
highly benefit from WTO membership and would continue its progress towards lasting peace and 
sustainable development for its people. They expr essed their all-out support and solidarity to the 
Republic of Afghanistan and wished that through the process of accession, Afghanistan would soon be well-integrated into the multilateral trading system, opening avenues to a more-prosperous and 
equitable development. 
1.55.  The representative of the United States was honoured to be present at the completion of 
Afghanistan's WTO accession process. He congratulated First Deputy Chief Executive Khan, 
Minister Rasaw and Deputy Minster Shinwari on their major accomplishment. It was a significant 
milestone in Afghanistan's path toward prosperity and one with special significance for the United States. One year ago, the United States had brought its combat mission in Afghanistan to a 
responsible conclusion. But its commitment to Afghanistan endured. As President Obama had 
recently said, "Because governance and develo pment remain the foundation for stability and 
progress in Afghanistan, we will continue to  support President Ghani and the national unity 
government as they pursue critical reforms." The United States' support of Afghanistan's WTO 
accession was an important extension of that commitment. 
1.56.  The United States had participated in every aspect of the accession since it had begun in 
2003. His delegation had provided technical assi stance and had worked closely with Afghan 
authorities and the negotiating team to ensure a successful conclusion. Accession negotiations 
were never easy. But, in Afghanistan's case, they had been especially complex. It had taken hard 
work making policy changes, adopting new laws and establishing new institutions in a very difficult 
environment. And overcoming each of those challenges had required many years of negotiation 
and implementation. Those reforms underscored how Afghanistan was using WTO accession to enhance its economic infrastructure for investment and commercial development. Collectively, those steps represented a big step forward in Afghanistan's development.  
1.57.  The United States looked forward to workin g with Afghanistan on issues of mutual interest 
in the WTO, particularly as they related to enhancing the utility and relevance of the WTO to LDC Members. His delegation once again congratulated Afghanistan on the approval of its WTO 
Accession package and welcomed it as a full Member of the WTO. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.58.  The representative of Lesotho, on be half of the African Group, congratulated the 
Government and the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for having successfully 
concluded its accession process– one of the signif icant events of MC10 in Nairobi – and welcomed 
them into the WTO. The journey since 2004 had been  long but with determination and leadership, 
the Government of Afghanistan was able to join the WTO and take part in the multilateral trading 
system.  
1.59.  As had been stated by Dr Mohammad Ashraf  Ghani, the accession into the WTO would serve 
as a catalyst for domestic reforms and transformation to an effective and functioning market 
economy that would attract investment, create jobs and improve the welfare of the people of Afghanistan. WTO accession introduced a positive level of dynamism and strength of the multilateral system. It was the African Group's hope that Afghanistan's accession would bring a 
renewed impetus in their work at the WTO.  
1.60.  With Afghanistan's accession, the presence and strength of the LDCs in the WTO had 
increased. As a least-developed country that had just acceded to the WTO, post-accession 
assistance would be of great significance for Af ghanistan. It would enable Afghanistan to fully 
benefit from the multilateral trading system. The African Group thus called upon Members and development partners to continue supporting Afghanistan in the post-accession process.  
1.61.  The African Group appreciated the unwaver ing support and efforts of Ambassador Roderick 
Van Schreven for his continuous stewardship and guidance in Afghanistan's accession process, the Accessions Division for the exemplary manner it ha d facilitated the process, and all Members who 
had shown some level of flexibility to conclude that accession. 
1.62.  The representative of the European Union noted that Members had gathered that day to 
welcome Afghanistan to the WTO illustrating their commitment to facilitate the integration of LDCs 
into the multilateral trading system. The European Union congratulated the government of 
Afghanistan for that significant achievement. The efforts Afghanistan had undertaken to pass 
reforms amid political and security difficulties had been particularly commendable. 
1.63.  The EU reaffirmed its continued commitment to support Afghanistan and was honoured to 
co-chair the next year's comprehensive Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Brussels. It would 
be a further opportunity to mobilize the required  political and financial support for Afghanistan's 
stabilization. The EU encouraged Afghanistan to continue on the demanding but surely rewarding path of reforms. It welcomed Afghanistan as a Me mber of a strong rules-based system ensuring a 
level playing-field for all players.  
1.64.  The post-accession phase would be crucial: implementing all commitments undertaken 
would require both significant additional work and technical assistance. The EU was ready to do its 
part: together with its MS, the EU would keep delivering technical assistance. Furthermore, it had 
recently put into place a new 3-year programme to assist Afghanistan, and the EU Everything But Arms regime would continue to apply. 
1.65.  The EU was confident that commitments undertaken by Afghanistan would help develop a 
more predictable, transparent and competitive tr ade and business regime which could improve the 
livelihood of the population and create new jo b opportunities. The WTO rules were important to 
foster development and LDCs could benefit the most from the multilateral trading system. Having 
achieved two accessions of LDCs at MC10 was a stro ng signal of how the WTO was open, inclusive, 
and mindful of those most in need. The EU was fu lly committed to keep working hard to make sure 
that all countries willing to become Member s of the WTO would be able to do so.  
1.66.  The EU thanked the Government of Afghan istan, the Secretariat and their teams for the 
hard work that had made the Afghan accession possible. The WTO Members could all be proud of 
welcoming Afghanistan to the WTO, a tangible sign of the organization's inclusiveness. 
1.67.  The representative of Pakistan welcomed the Afghan delegation led by H.E. Mr. Mohammad 
Khan. Pakistan fully supported the accession of Af ghanistan into the WTO as it was its esteemed 
neighbour and third largest trading partner. Afghanistan had taken a bold step towards more global integration and Pakistan stood with its neighbour in its efforts to overcome internal and 
external challenges. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.68.  Pakistan and Afghanistan had a unique geographical position as a gateway to Central Asia. 
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) were two initiatives which provided an opportunity to both the countries to take advantage of huge benefits that could accrue in th e future by better integration within the regional 
and eventually the global economies. Forthcomin g CASA 1000 – Central Asia – South Asia regional 
Electricity market between Kyrgyz Republic, Ta jikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan and TAPI –
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India ga s pipeline would further speed up the regional 
economic integration. The Electronic Data Interchange being set up between Afghanistan and 
Pakistan would better achieve data sharing and better coordination between the border agencies of the two countries. Afghanistan's accession would further facilitate the process. Pakistan had ratified the TFA, being the only South Asian country to do so. Coupled with Afghanistan's 
accession, it would go a long way in facilitating bilateral and transit trade between the two 
brotherly countries. 
1.69.  Pakistan congratulated Afghanistan for all its hard work. Thomas Paine said “We have in our 
power to begin the world a new”. Pakistan and Afghanistan were neighbours, trading partners, 
energy connectivity partners and then fellow WT O Members. Pakistan urged Afghanistan for them 
to grow together, trade together and fight poverty in their midst. 
1.70.  The representative of India welcomed the Afghanistan Delegation led by H.E. Mr. 
Mohammad Khan. India congratulated the Government and the people of Afghanistan on the 
successful conclusion of the accession negotiations, a process that had begun in 2004. As a close neighbour, friend and fellow South Asian nation, India was delighted to welcome Afghanistan to 
the WTO. The accession of Afghanistan would send a clear signal about the credibility of the WTO 
as an open and inclusive multilateral trading system. 
1.71.  The people and the Government of Afghanistan, under the leadership of H.E. President 
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, had taken bold steps to wards modernizing the Afghan economy and its 
integration with the global economy. India co mmended the Afghan leadership for its vision, 
commitment and determination to pursue development, peace and prosperity through multilateral 
cooperation. The Indian delegation was confiden t that Afghanistan's accession to the WTO would 
act as a catalyst for the economic growth and well-being of its people. 
1.72.  India wished the Government of Afghan istan every success in its endeavour towards its 
integration into the multilateral trading system and the reinvigoration of its historic position as the 
vital link in the trade routes of the region. India-Afghan relations rested on a strong foundation of 
civilizational contacts, trade and exchanges between their peoples. It cherished their partnership with the people of Afghanistan and looked forward to working closely with Afghanistan in the WTO. 
India realized that Afghanistan had taken wide-ranging commitments as part of the accession 
negotiations and it stood ready to extend any assistance and support to Afghanistan in the post-accession phase. 
1.73.  The representative of Korea welcomed H.E. Mohammad Khan Rahmani and the delegation 
of Afghanistan and congratulated Afghanistan on the successful completion of its accession 
negotiations spanning 11 years. Korea had acti vely supported Afghanistan's accession since its 
application in 2004. WTO accession would be a sign ificant boost for Afghanistan's economic growth 
and development as it would open new opportunities for trade expansion and help Afghanistan 
consolidate its competitiveness-enhancing reforms. Korea was confident that Afghanistan would make the best of its WTO membership in foster ing sustainable economic growth and prosperity. 
1.74.  The official adoption of a comprehensive, high-level accession package in the areas of goods 
and services in Nairobi, which had been carried ou t thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Afghan 
Government, was also meaningful for the WTO and its Members in that it would contribute to the 
strengthening of the multilateral trading system and to the creation of mutually beneficial trade 
relationships with WTO Members. Korea hoped that Afghanistan's accession would serve as a catalyst to further strengthen the bilateral relations between them in the years to come. 
1.75.  Korea urged Afghanistan to successfully comp lete its domestic ratification procedures as a 
final step of the WTO accession process as timely as possible and hoped that its accession to the 
WTO as an LDC would help accelerate the accession process of other LDCs. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.76.  The representative of Turkey had supported Afghanistan's WTO membership since the 
beginning and was delighted to see that its brot her Afghanistan had successfully completed the 
accession process. Turkey congratulated the pe ople and the Government of Afghanistan, the 
Working Party and its Chairperson, and the WT O Secretariat for such an accomplishment. 
1.77.  Turkey embraced Afghanistan as the 164th WTO Member and was ready to provide 
Afghanistan with all the necessary technical assistance for the post-accession phase. Afghanistan, with a critical geo-strategical location, had an important passage on the Silk Road and was home 
to free trade in the past. Turkey hoped that that historical experience and rich trade culture could 
re-emerge and contribute to both regional trade and the international trading system. 
1.78.  WTO Membership would be a significant step for Afghanistan to build a modern economy, 
which, in turn, would alleviate economic problems that the Afghan people were facing. Turkey 
reiterated its full support to Afghanistan and l ooked forward to seeing the endorsement of the 
accession of Afghanistan by the Ministerial Conference. 
1.79.  The representative of China welcomed the decision to approve the accession of Afghanistan 
to the WTO and congratulated Afghanistan for its achievement. As a Chinese saying provided, "a 
hard process leads to happy ending". Afghanistan had spent 11 years of hard negotiations for its 
accession. Nevertheless, as the experience of China and many other WTO Members had shown, 
WTO Membership would deliver a strong boost to economic and social development and increase 
people's income and well-being. It would also help Afghanistan better integrate into the global economy and facilitate its post-war reconstruction.  
1.80.  Afghanistan's accession was of great sign ificance to the WTO. After the WTO's twentieth 
anniversary, Afghanistan's accession not only de monstrated to the world the WTO's appeal and 
vitality, but also made the organization more representative and universal, and served as an encouraging example for other LDCs  applying for WTO membership. 
1.81.  China had always supported Afghanistan's accession and had played a positive role in the 
process. In relation to the aid-for-trade framework, China had launched the China program in 2011 with Afghanistan as one of its the beneficiar ies. On 14 December, the Government of China 
had signed an MOU with the WTO with China providing another US$ 500.000 to the WTO for the 
China program. It was the fifth time for China to renew its contribution since the program had launched and it hoped that the program would help more LDCs to join the WTO. 
1.82.  Afghanistan's accession marked the beginning of its integration into the multilateral trading 
system. China stood ready to step up cooperation within the WTO framework, to share the WTO 
experience with each other and to work together  to safeguard and promote the multilateral trading 
system. 
1.83.  The representative of Malaysia, also on behalf of ASEAN, said that Malaysia and ASEAN 
Member States welcomed the accession of the Is lamic Republic of Afghanistan to the WTO, the 
ninth least-developed country to join the organization since 1995. It was a significant step and 
they hoped the accession would help accelerate the integration of Afghanistan into the global 
economy and contribute towards economic and political stability – attracting investment, creating jobs and raising the quality of live s of the people of Afghanistan.  
1.84.  The road to Nairobi had been a long one for Afghanistan spanning more than 11 years. The 
political will and diligent efforts by Afghanistan to  reform its domestic rules and legislations to be 
aligned with the rules of the multilateral tradin g system were highly commendable, particularly 
given the challenges of being a least-developed country. 
1.85.  Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Afghanistan had reached USD78.5 million – an 
increase of 91.2% from the previous year. Malaysia looked forward to a continuous upward trend. Its major exports to Afghanistan in 2014 had been palm oil, electrical & electronic products, 
chemicals & chemical products and other manufactures, among others, while imports from 
Afghanistan included manufactured goods. Malaysian companies also had presence in Afghanistan's Islamic Finance and Insurance. Together with other ASEAN Member States, Malaysia would continue to support Afghanistan in its economic transformation efforts and its full 
integration into the multilateral trading system. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.86.  The representative of Canada supported  the accession of Afghanistan to the WTO and 
congratulated Afghanistan for its achievement. Cana da was proud to have been the first country to 
conclude bilateral market access negotiations with Afghanistan in 2013. It remained committed to help Afghans build a sustainable future, a more-peaceful environment that was safe and secure 
and a country that was well-governed and in control of its own destiny. Trade could play an 
important role in helping to achieve those goals, while also helping to empower the Afghan youth, women and strengthen economic development. 
1.87.  Canada welcomed the reforms which the Government of Afghanistan had already 
undertaken to bring its laws and regulations in line with the WTO Agreements and looked forward to the opportunities which future reforms would br ing for many of its partners including Canada. 
Their countries had shared strong bilateral relations since 2002 and a strong commitment to help 
build a successful and prosperous country for all Afghans. Afghanistan's political leadership had 
demonstrated a firm commitment to the WTO accession, which it saw as a catalyst for reforms that would support development priorities, strengthen market institutions and promote welfare and 
economic growth. 
1.88.  Canada stood with its friends and allies as they worked together to achieve those goals to 
increase trade, investment and open borders. It once again congratulated Afghanistan for its 
achievement and welcomed it to the WTO. 
1.89.  The representative of Japan welcomed the Afghan delegation led by H.E. Mr. Mohammad 
Khan. Japan had constantly supported the accession  of new Members to the WTO. Acceding to the 
WTO would be an important step for any country to be integrated into the multilateral trading 
system. Japan, on its part, had joined the GATT exactly 60 years ago. In its own experience lied 
the foundation of such a belief. Joining the WTO would not only help Afghanistan create new trade opportunities, but would also promote sustainable economic growth through trade for the 
generations to come. 
1.90.  Recognizing that, Afghanistan still faced di fficult challenges for reconstruction and further 
development. Japan had been taking a leading and ac tive role in establishing a stronger foundation 
for partnership to support sustainable growth and development as they had mutually confirmed in 
the agreed partnership – the Tokyo framework. Ja pan had long been accompanying Afghanistan in 
its path toward reform and self-reliance. 
1.91.  Japan's bilateral trade with Afghanistan had amounted to about US$ 6.2 million in 2013. 
Japan hoped that the figure would further expand in the years to come. In 2013, it had concluded 
its bilateral negotiations with Afghanistan and as a strong supporter of Afghanistan it expressed its appreciation for Afghanistan's hard work during the negotiation process. Japan welcomed 
Afghanistan as a new Member of the WTO and cong ratulated H.E. Mr. Khan and the Delegation of 
Afghanistan. Japan also appreciated the leadership  of the Chairperson and the hard work done by 
the Secretariat during the entire process without which the success would not have been possible. 
1.92.  The representative of Chinese Taipei welcomed Afghanistan to the WTO family. It had been 
a long but worthwhile journey. WTO Members held the government of Afghanistan with the 
greatest respect particularly for its determination and commitment in pursuing the goal of accession – even at times when the national politics had been difficult. Economic integration 
through international trade had proven to be a successful formula for development in many 
economies around the world. Chinese Taipei was confident that Afghanistan would reap the benefits that were bound to come with WTO membership and stood ready to provide support on 
both a bilateral and a multilateral basis.  
1.93.  Afghanistan's accession was also an importan t indicator of the faith that existed in a strong 
multilateral rules-based trading system with the WTO at its core. Chinese Taipei was pleased to 
see how many other countries, including the LDCs, were keen to take the path towards accession 
to the WTO in the future. Chinese Taipei would enjo y having Afghanistan's active participation as a 
full-fledged Member in the WTO and looked fo rward to working closely with Afghanistan. 
1.94.  The representative of the United Kingdo m welcomed Afghanistan to the WTO community. It 
had been a long road comprising 11 long years of  negotiations. But that day, Afghanistan became 
the ninth least-developed country to join the WTO since 1995 – a truly momentous occasion. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  Afghanistan joined 161 other Members to benefit from greater access to the global trading system. 
Accession was an important step towards Afghanistan's integration into the multilateral trading system and a symbolic moment in Afghanistan's “Transformation Decade”. It enabled Afghanistan to develop trade links which could in time reduce its dependence on foreign aid. WTO membership 
would drive domestic reforms to strengthen mark et institutions and provide the framework for 
Afghanistan to properly integrate itself as a trading nation within its immediate region as a bridge between Central and South Asia. 
1.95.  Afghanistan's accession was a remarkable achievement considering its very challenging 
starting point as one of the least-developed countries in the world emerging out of conflict. The UK was proud of the role it had played in helping to  achieve progress. It had an enduring commitment 
to Afghanistan. Most recently, it had decided to maintain its military commitment to NATO's 
Resolute Support Mission through 2016 at around 450 personnel. 
1.96.  The United Kingdom would spend around £290 million in aid alongside up to £100 million 
that year to support the Afghan National Police, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces 
and other conflict reduction programmes. It had provided over £300,000 on trade funding since 
2004 to support the management of Afghanistan’s portfolio of international trade negotiations 
including WTO accession and was committed to working with President Ghani, Dr Abdullah and the 
National Unity Government to help improve the lives of all Afghans and build a secure and stable 
Afghanistan. The UK hoped its continued support would enable Afghanistan to take advantage of 
the new opportunities offered by accession. 
1.97.  The representative of the Russian Federation  congratulated Afghanistan and said that it had 
been a long road for the new Member — and it had not always been easy with its accession 
process taking 11 years. That underlined how much work had been done — and what an achievement Afghanistan had reached. The WTO accession process provided a platform for 
domestic reforms which were necessary for all Members to grow, develop and prosper. As a result, 
WTO Members designed their economic, trade and investment policies within a stable, predictable, and rules-based system. By concluding its accession negotiations, Afghanistan had sent a clear 
signal to all its trading partners that it was ready to engage fully in the multilateral trading system 
and in the global economy – and Russia welcomed that indication.  
1.98.  Unfortunately, Russia's bilateral trade relations with Afghanistan had faced a rough patch. 
Since the beginning of 2015 their trade turnover ha d decreased to 136.8 million US dollars with a 
decline in both exports and imports. Despite the ne gative trend, Russia believed that Afghanistan's 
accession to the WTO would have a positive impact on their trade and Afghanistan's economic ties with Russia in general. The conclusion of the least-developed country's accession was a win-win 
both for the LDCs and the WTO as a whole. The expansion of the WTO to include a new Member, 
particularly an LDC, would only strengthen the multilateral trading system.  
1.99.  WTO membership could make a significant difference for Members like Afghanistan. It 
ensured that all Members had an equal say and that the interests of the LDCs were taken into 
account. As with the accession of Liberia, the accession of Afghanistan came at an important moment. Both accessions represented a vote of confidence in the WTO and the multilateral trading system. Together with the accession of Kazakhstan , they were the biggest highlights of the work 
of the WTO in 2015. 
1.100.  The representative of the Netherlands noted that the integration of LDCs in world trade 
was one of the Netherlands' highest priorities. Trade was an essential driver for inclusive, 
economic growth — but not as a standalone instrument. Global trade liberalization in goods and 
services should go hand-in-hand with national reforms and governance and with the strengthening of trade policies and key social and economic se ctors – challenges that all WTO Members faced. 
Afghanistan's commitment to take on board the WTO's rules-based system deserved Members' 
continued support. The Netherlands thanked Afghanistan for giving her delegation the opportunity to play a role in their accession and congratulated Afghanistan for its achievement. 
1.101.  The Netherlands had a longstanding relati onship with Afghanistan and was happy to chair 
Afghanistan's accession process. She thanked Ambassador Roderick Van Schreven for all his hard 
work and commitment in the process. The Netherlands, like all other WTO Members, would stand alongside Afghanistan in its post-accession process and all the challenges it entailed. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.102.  The representative of Kenya welcomed the Af ghan Delegation to Nairobi on the occasion of 
the approval of their accession to the WTO. Keny a recognized that embarking on a WTO accession 
process and successfully completing that proc ess was not easy. It therefore applauded the 
leadership of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in driving domestic reforms that met the 
requirements of WTO membership and culminating in the accession.  
1.103.  As Members welcomed the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the WTO Family, they 
needed to acknowledge the path it had chosen — that of claiming the legitimate stake of the 
Afghan people in the global economy through memb ership of the WTO. Further, the accession of 
two least-developed countries, namely the Republic of Liberia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, to the WTO at that critical juncture of the organization's history was an encouraging affirmation of the relevance of the WTO as a forum for continuous trade negotiations and the 
potential contribution of trade to the sustainable development and economic growth of all. 
1.104.  The current WTO Members should theref ore rededicate themselves to a successful 
outcome in Nairobi and join the two LDCs in the leap of faith they had taken through their 
accessions. Kenya paid tribute to Ambassador Schreven for ably steering the Working Party and 
looked forward to availing of the opportunities offered by the entry of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan into the WTO. 
1.105.  The representative of the ITC, speaking  as an IGO Observer, said that trade was to 
Afghanistan what snow was to its Hindu Kush mountains: essential. Afghanistan, a country at the 
heart of the most iconic trade roads – the silk  route – joined the family of the WTO Members 
ending a long journey which had begun in 2004. She congratulated H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan and 
the negotiating team for what she knew had been a challenging task. It was a day to celebrate 
those efforts and to look at the future. It gave her a special sense of satisfaction that the International Trade Centre had been a partner of the government and business community in 
Afghanistan over the past four years. 
1.106.  ITC had worked with stakeholders in Afghanistan to better understand the opportunities 
which WTO Membership offered. In several dedicated sessions, they had seen how the private 
sector perspectives had been increasingly factored into Afghanistan's negotiating positions and 
how that had ensured coherence between the needs of the business community and the Government's policy goals. Their dedicated dialogue with the private and public sector stakeholders had provided them with an opportunity to discuss Afghanistan's accession 
commitments and their business implications in an open and transparent way – helping to build 
greater stakeholder confidence in Afghanistan's quest for WTO membership. That day marked the start of a new phase. Membership had been the pr imary aim up to that point. They should then 
ensure that WTO membership worked for Afghanistan, its SMEs and women and men.  
1.107.  The Government of Afghanistan was already thinking ahead on how being a part of the 
WTO could be an important lever to increase the competitiveness of their SMEs. She assured 
Afghanistan that the ITC would continue to partner with Afghanistan to make that a reality. The 
ITC was currently preparing a package of trade support for Afghanistan financed by the European Commission. WTO made trade possible. They should then work to make trade happen. They would support the design and implementation of a National Export Strategy, assist in the implementation 
of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and suppo rt SMEs to manage cross-border procedures. 
Those would all be done through a process of public-private dialogue to turn Afghan SMEs into engines of sustainable and inclusive growth. She expressed appreciation for the work of 
Ambassador Roderick Van Schreven and the Secr etariat accession team. Afghanistan had had a 
most challenging recent past but that day it stood with the other 163 Members of the WTO as an equal participant in global trade, commerce and rule-making. It was an occasion to be celebrated. 
1.108.  The representative of the World Bank, speaking as an IGO Observer, congratulated the 
Government of Afghanistan on that great achiev ement. It was a clear signal of Afghanistan's 
commitment to trade and economic reforms. At the World Bank, they had worked with almost every acceding candidate on those reforms in the lead-up to and following WTO accession. They 
did that because the evidence was clear that there was a strong connection between joining the 
WTO and increased competitiveness. Accession also helped generate momentum for wider economic reforms. But of course, none of that happened automatically. WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  1.109.  Implementation of reforms took su stained commitment by the government, close 
engagement with the private sector and other stakeholders and the support of development 
partners. And that was where the World Bank and others came in. They had been pleased to be working closely with the Government of Afghanistan on a range of initiatives which helped to 
increase economic growth, to boost private-sector development and to facilitate trade. 
1.110.  A focus of their joint effort had been to help translate all of those into greater poverty 
reduction, job creation and stability. That gave them a strong base for intensifying their work with 
Afghanistan following their WTO accession. They had heard clearly in their discussions with the 
Government that their desire was to boost trade and services, to diversify exports of goods and 
services and to stimulate FDI and job creation. Her commitment to Afghanistan was that the World Bank stood ready to support the new Member in its path ahead. It was a day for celebration, for 
the beginning of the process and for reaping the gains that Membership in the WTO offered. 
1.111.  The Ministerial Conference took note of  the statements and expressions of support.   
1.112.  The Chairperson said that the Signing Ceremony for the Protocol of Accession would then 
take place, presided by the Director-General. She invited H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan to join the 
Director-General at the signing table and invi ted the Director-General to proceed with the 
Ceremony. 
1.113.  The meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m. 
 
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 WT/MIN(15)/SR/7 
 
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  ANNEX 
EXPRESSIONS OF WELCOME BY DELEGATI ONS TO THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA 
At the request of the delegations concerned, the following statements are included below as part 
of the Summary Record of the Tenth Ministerial Conference. 
 
1  BRAZIL 
1.1.  At the outset, and on behalf of Brazil, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the 
delegation of Afghanistan, headed by H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khan, First Deputy Chief Executive of 
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. After 11 years of hard work and tireless negotiations, we are here today to celebrate Afghanistan joining the WTO as its 164th Member. 
1.2.  When we talk about an accession to the WTO, we talk about commitments. A commitment to 
a rules-based organization, to the principles of liberalization and fair competition, to the resolution 
of trade disputes; and to a level playing field, where trade helps create new job opportunities and a better life for all. 
1.3.  After 20 years and more than 30 new Members, it is very clear that the WTO matters. And 
y e t ,  w e  m u s t  d o  o u r  b e s t  h e r e  i n  N a i r o b i  t o  e n s u r e  t h a t  t h e  o r g a n i z a t i o n  i s  a s  v a l u a b l e  a n d  attractive in the future as it has been until now. It is also the moment to recognize the enormous 
efforts required from acceding countries, in particular the LDC ones, like Afghanistan, in order to 
meet the exacting requirements set by the organization. 
1.4.  Brazil has always been a close supporter of  this process, and we are pleased to recognize 
that, with the leadership of President Ashraf Ghan i, and of the Chief Negotiator, Deputy Minister 
Muzammil Shinwari, Afghanistan was able to overcome all challenges and become a full-fledged 
Member. 
1.5.  But, we also know that, as exhausting and defying as it can be, acceding to the WTO is not 
the end of the journey. It is rather the starting point for the implementation of those fiercely 
negotiated commitments and to harvest the fruits of the Multilateral Trading System. 
1.6.  In this regard, Brazil hopes that Afghanis tan reaps the full benefits of WTO Membership in 
order to continue paving the way for a better future of its people. 
1.7.  Welcome, Afghanistan! 2  SIERRA LEONE 2.1.  Let me on behalf of President Ernest Bai Ko roma align our delegation with previous speakers 
in extending congratulations to a fellow Least Developed Country, the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan on its accession to the WTO. Sierra Leone applauds the efforts that Afghanistan has 
put to meet this milestone, in spite of the myriad of internal challenges it faces. 
2.2.  My delegation would like to note that, our different geographical locations do not in any way 
diminish our common concerns and shared values. In this regard, Sierra Leone assures Afghanistan of its continued cooperation in addressing issues of common interest and seeking 
solutions to our mutual challenges especially within the framework of our membership in 
established international organisations such as the WTO. 
2.3.  Sierra Leone wishes Afghanistan every success in all its future endeavours.  
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