WT/MIN(17)/ST/120  
 
8 January 2018  
(18-0113) Page: 1/4 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR IVAN JURKOVIC  
APOSTOLIC NUNCIO, PE RMANENT OBSERVER  OF THE HOLY SEE TO THE WTO  
HOLY SEE 
(Speaking as an Observer)  
 
At the outset, my Delegation would like to thank the Government of Argentina for the effective 
organization of this timely conference and for its generous hospitality.  
 
The world has gained an impressive, long record of momentum towards open trade. But now that 
momentum is slowing and affecting growth. T rade, in particular over the recent decades, has 
helped to lift a billion people out of poverty in developing countries and has improved the 
livelihood in many developed countries. An increasing number of developing and transition 
economies have managed to  integrate into the world economy. This has resulted in an 
unprecedented expansion in international trade. Over the years, the world has witnessed, among 
other positive developments, a decline in global extreme poverty. These, however, have not been 
equall y shared. The benefits of globalization, combined with a general improvement in 
macroeconomic management, have helped the graduation of some Least Developed Countries 
(LDCs), and the integration of many developing countries, into the global economy.  
 
The world is still facing, however, an unequal global distribution of resources and opportunities; 
today, we are better positioned to take concrete actions that can address inequality between and 
among countries and peoples. In 2015, world leaders agreed on ho w to situate better the 
international community to address some of the most pressing global challenges. Adhering to 
principles such as equity, inclusiveness, common but differentiated responsibility, special and 
differential treatment, less than full recip rocity and the right to development, is crucial to 
strengthening the role of developing countries in the global economy. Our action in a multilateral 
trade normative system should contribute toward the realization of common aspirations to achieve 
prosperit y, dignity and a better planet for all. Balanced rules and trade liberalization are key, 
especially in securing the World Trade Organisation 's (WTO) pre -eminent role in global trade and 
ensuring equitable benefits to all its members, especially the LDCs. T he Nairobi Decision, the Hong 
Kong Ministerial Decision on Duty Free Quota Free market access for LDCs and Decision on the 
LDC services waiver stand before us as examples of the developmental objectives achieved over 
the last years.  
 
Looking at the curren t situation, the Holy See consider s of particular importance the 
acknowledgment that trade  can cause dislocation and uncertainty in some sectors and 
communities and that the benefits of trade have failed to reach as many people as they should. 
Our common a ction working here in Buenos Aires, as done in the previous two Ministerial 
Conferences, should not weaken the multilateral trade system, but making it work better. If we 
continue to look merely at the particular interest by shaping a closed economy, then,  in the 
medium term, the economic growth could decline and the poore st would be hit the hardest. 
As already experienced, this would likely increase tensions between nations. A spirit of solidarity 
should guide our actions in these days to redouble our effo rts to make trade truly inclusive and not 
to continue to defend privileged positions in international trade.  
 
A new logic is progressively emerging.  WT/MIN(17)/ST/120  
 
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  The end of the bipolar dimension in world relations and the emergence of new actors in the 
economic and pol itical arena has profoundly changed the scenario that we face. This more 
fragmented and unpredictable international landscape should favour dialogue and cooperation 
among countries, particularly within multilateral institutions. Meanwhile, a new logic has 
progressively emerged, a logic based on fragmented and partial agreements based more on an 
individualistic approach rather than an inclusive one.  
 
The trade agenda greatly reflects this new approach with the stalemate in multilateral negotiations 
and the growing number of Regional and Preferential Trade Agreements.  
 
The Holy See wishes to warn about the dangers associated with the marginalization of  
multilateralism. Despite its limitations and complexity, the multilateral framework gives pluralism a 
universal dimension and facilitates an inclusive dialogue. More importantly, the multilateral 
approach provides an enhanced and safer framework within wh ich weaker and smaller countries 
may be better safeguarded than in a regional or bilateral setting, where an asymmetric situation 
inevitably tends to favour large and strong economies.  
 
We should not forget that the main goal of multilateral institutions is to seek the common good by 
respecting the dignity of every single person. Starting from the original aspiration for truth, love, 
and justice, shared by every man and woman, every individual and country should be given the 
opportunity to give its contrib ution to the common goal; the multilateral institutions must provide 
the setting wherein such a constructive dialogue is facilitated.  
 
Agriculture  
 
Despite the generally fast growth of agricultural trade, most of the food consumed in many 
countries is produced domestically; net imports are within the range of 0 -20% of the domestic 
food supply in many instances1 . With more than 800 million hungry and undernourished people in 
the world, the problem of ensuring food security remains an enduring challenge,  especially for 
developing countries. Many of the m face daunting challenges, including a stagnant farm sector, 
inadequate domestic food stocks, volatility in food prices in international markets and low food 
purchasing power among the poor and needy. Two y ears ago, the UN General Assembly, through 
the adoption of SDG 2, called for action on trade restrictions and distortions in agriculture as one 
means to achieving the goal of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030. The 2030 Agenda 
acknowledges that progres s toward s many other SDGs will depend on the extent to which food 
insecurity and malnutrition are effectively reduced and sustainable agriculture is promoted. 
Conversely, progress towards SDG  2 will depend on advancement made toward several other 
goals.  
 
The Holy See considers it critically important to address the problem of food insecurity with due 
regard to a long -term perspective, eliminating the structural causes that give rise to it and 
promoting the agricultural development of poorer countries. Smal l-scale agriculture, as the 
mainstay of the rural economy, must certainly play a key role in growth. Boosting the productivity 
of small -scale agriculture is necessary to allow increased staple food production for household 
consumption and for the market wh en addressing challenges to improving infrastructure.  Rural 
areas play a crucial role in the economic growth of LDCs. Thus, transforming rural economies by 
boosting agricultural productivity and by developing viable non -farm activities, while maximizing 
synergies between the two through greater access to technology and finance, is crucial for poverty 
eradication, job creation and sustainable development. The rural setting in itself does not provide 
the necessary opportunities for a sensible improvement of t heir working and living situations. 
"Their attempts to move to other, more diversified, means of production prove fruitless because of 
the difficulty of linkage with regional and global markets, or because the infrastructure for sales 
and transport is gear ed to larger businesses. Civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt 
clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production. "2  
 
                                                
1 Cf. FAO, The future of food and agriculture. Trends and challenges, Rome 2017 available at 
(http://www.fao.org/3/a -i6583e.pdf ). 
2 Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter, Laudato si',  n.129.  WT/MIN(17)/ST/120  
 
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  Women  
 
It is clear that trade plays a central role in economic development. The positive effect of trade, 
moreover, can be magnified by policies that favour the inclusion of all members of society in 
economic development. Policies aimed at women empowerment in the process of development 
may play a key role on this regard.  
 
The Holy See has alw ays stressed the importance of the contribution of women  to society. Women 
are central not only in the development of the family but also for the development of the entire 
economic system. As Pope Francis recently stated: "The covenant between man and woma n is 
called to be a guiding force for society as a whole.  We are invited to be responsible for the world, 
in the realms of culture and politics, in the world of work and economic life, as well as in the 
Church.   This is not merely a matter of equal opportu nities or mutual appreciation.   It involves the 
way men and women understand the very meaning of life and human progress. "3 Plenty of studies 
confirm that a higher participation rate of women is associated with stronger economic growth and 
with more equita ble societies.  
 
Agriculture is at the centre of the 2030 Agenda, in this respect rural women play an essential role 
in ensuring household food security and nutrition, including through the preservation of 
biodiversity and plant genetic resources. Neverthel ess, women are all too often discriminated and 
marginalized by societies in ways that offend their dignity.  Women are overrepresented among 
working poor, in informal employment and also account for most of unpaid work.  
 
Perhaps the worst type of discrimin ation occurs in education where, in several countries, girls are 
prevented from attending schools, which exacerbates the vicious circle of poverty, exclusion and 
marginalization. Ensuring to all girls and women equitable access to education is not only a g reat 
opportunity for putting to good use their full talent, but it is also a crucial factor affecting the 
choices of future generations. Better educated women understand the full benefit of education and 
are more likely to improve the schooling of their ow n children, thus greatly contributing to the 
advancement of society.  
 
The Holy See strongly encourages the promotion of the female workforce through training and 
skills development and investing in time -saving, labour -saving technologies that respond to 
women's needs.  
 
E-commerce  
 
The digital revolution has created development opportunities that were once impossible. 
The explosive growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the digital 
economy are transforming economies at an unprecedent ed pace. The mobile revolution, expanded 
internet access and new online platforms, force enterprises to adapt their business practices. 
Technology has reshaped global value chains and trade patterns. It democratizes opportunities by 
enabling consumers and producers to buy and sell what they want, to and from whomever they 
want, making trade more inclusive. It also gives greater freedom of choice to make transactions at 
lower costs, making trade much more competitive. The governance of e -commerce must, 
there fore, guarantee the protection of consumers and producers, through transparent rules and 
norms, so as to render trade more fair and equitable. Within this spectrum, our common interest is 
to shape together in the WTO a global, multilateral and sustainable regulation that governs  
e-commerce and facilitates the inclusion of the most vulnerable people  into the digital market. 
In this regard, it will be fundamental to increase affordable ICT connectivity in the developing 
world and to bolster the human capital,  the physical infrastructure and the policy framework, that 
underpins ICT use.  
 
Fisheries  
 
Within the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, SDG 14 is exclusively dedicated to the conservation and 
sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. Millions of people around the world rely on 
fisheries and aquaculture for income and livelihood. The most rece nt estimates indicate that 
56.6 million people are engaged in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture.4 
                                                
3 Pope Francis, Address to the Participants of the Pontifical Academic for Life, 5 October 2017.  
4 Cf. FAO: The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture - 2016, at p. 32 -34. WT/MIN(17)/ST/120  
 
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  Around 350 million jobs are directly or indirectly created by the oceans economy. A large 
population of developing countries, LDCs, coastal economies and small island nations directly 
depend on fisheries. Therefore, the issue of subsidies is particularly s ensitive for small and poor 
nations. This creates a new momentum at the multilateral level to address unsustainable practices 
in the fisheries sector, encompassing a specific target (SDG 14.6) to prohibit by 2020 those 
fisheries subsidies that lead to over capacity and overfishing, to eliminate subsidies that contribute 
to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to refrain from adopting such subsidies.  
 
Regulating fisheries subsidies cannot be seen as a stand -alone issue. As is known, fisheries  
subsidies are projected to be as high as $35 billion worldwide, of which about $20 billion are 
categorized as capacity -enhancing and they directly contribute to overfishing. It is vital to adopt a 
holistic approach for the sector 's development that also a ddresses market access (tariffs and non -
tariff measures) and capacity constraints in implementing sustainable fisheries -related measures. 
Failure to address these subsidies will jeopardize the livelihoods of coastal populations, particularly 
in countries a nd communities most dependent upon fish production.  
 
Acknowledging the great obstacles that negotiations are facing, the Holy See supports the 
adoption of a pragmatic approach which allows the consolidation made so far. The longer we wait 
to conclude the current agreement, the fewer will be the benefits of the progress achieved, which, 
in some areas, are truly significant. Inaction would not only jeopardise all the efforts made so far 
but, most importantly, it would have a negative effect on the poorest co untries which would be 
prevented from reaping the benefits of trade liberalisation. The finalization of the current 
agreement would, moreover, allow countries and the WTO itself to deal more effectively on new 
important issues that have recently emerged.  
 
In conclusion, trade is unbalanced and unjust when it complements the landscape of social 
exclusion and inequality; when it transgresses somebody 's dignity anywhere in the world; when it 
neglects the common good of the whole of humanity. As Pope Francis h as repeatedly stated that 
"it is becoming increasingly difficult to find local solutions for enormous global problems which 
overwhelm local politics with difficulties to resolve. If we really want to achieve a healthy world 
economy, what is needed at this juncture of history is a more efficient way of interacting which, 
with due regard for the sovereignty of each nation, ensures the economic well -being of all 
countries, not just of a few ".5 
 
All the world 's eyes will be on our deliberations during these day s. If we fail to reiterate our 
commitment to multilateralism, development and inclusiveness, our silence will send a message to 
the world which will be louder than words. The effects of a no -decision will have repercussions on 
the credibility of the organi zation for years to come. Let me close by assuring this Conference of 
the Holy See 's commitment to strengthening multilateralism and constructively engaging in the 
discussions on all areas of the work of the WTO.  
 
__________  
                                                
5  Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, n. 206.