WT/MIN(17)/73  
22 January 2018  
(18-0531) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh  Session  
Buenos Aires , 10-13 December 20 17 Original: English  
 
DECLARATION OF MINIS TERS OF THE GROUP OF SMA LL, VULNERABLE ECONOMIES  
(SVES)  TO THE ELEVENTH SESS ION OF THE WORLD TRA DE ORGANIZATION 
MINISTERIAL CONFEREN CE 
The following communication is  being ci rculated at the request of the D elegation of Guatemala on 
behalf of the SVEs.  
 
_______________  
 
 
We, the Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Group of  Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) , 
having met on 9  December 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina , on the margins of the Eleventh 
Session of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference:  
 
Reiterate , pursuant to Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the importance of 
continued work for a fair, equitable, inclusive, transparent, no n-discriminatory and rules -based 
multilateral trading system.  
 
Reaffirm  the centrality of development in the World Trade Organization (WTO).   
 
Emphasiz e that effective special and differential treatment, a key principle of multilateralism, 
must not be und ermined.  
 
Reaffirm  the importance of the Work Programme on Small Economies contained in Paragraph 35 
of the Doha Ministerial Declaration and Paragraph 41 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration.  
 
Note  the progress achieved on SVEs priorities, especially t he work conducted in the CTD's 
Dedicated Session including on the challenges and opportunities experienced by Small Economies 
when linking into global value chains in trade in goods and services and in challenges small 
economies experience in their efforts  to reduce trade costs, particularly in the area of trade 
facilitation, and look forward for  the future work under the Work Programme.  
 
Note  the destruction caused during this year's unprecedented hurricane season, particularly to 
SVEs, and acknowledge that recovery and redevelopment will take many years.  
 
Call on the full flexibility of the multilateral trading system to be deployed regarding  the 
reconstruction measures that may be taken by the affected Members, so that these be considered 
compatible with the WTO Agreements without altering the rights and obligations of WTO Members.   
 
Recognize  that a successful conclusion of the Doha Developm ent Agenda (DDA) can contribute to 
recovery and growth in world trade and in the global economy.   
 
Reiterate  the need for the preservation of development -centred  negotiations and the continued 
safeguard of the principle of the Single Undertaking for the achievement of a balanced and 
development oriented outcome in the negotiations that is sensitive to the development objectives 
of SVEs.  
 
Further reiterate  the nee d for Members to continue to address in a substantive and meanin gful 
manner, the needs of small, vulnerable economies, and to adopt specific measures that will 
facilitate their fuller integration into the multilateral trading system.  WT/MIN(17)/73  
 
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Urge  Members to comm it to preserve the flexibilities that have already been identified and 
recognized in the process of the trade negotiations including in Agriculture and NAMA, and provide 
enhanced flexibilities for SVEs in other negotiating areas in view of their special ne eds and 
circumstances, as part of any future outcome.   
 
Call for Members ' commitment to continue to address in all areas of WTO work, in a substantive 
and meaningful manner, the needs of small , vulnerable economies (SVEs) and to favourably 
consider the ado ption of such measures that would facilitate our economies ' fuller integration into 
the multilateral trading system.  
 
Reaffirm  the need for special consideration and targeted assistance to be given to SVEs, inter 
alia, in the areas of Aid for Trade, Trade  and Transfer of Technology; Trade Facilitation, Trade 
Finance and Development Assistance which are priorities for special consideration by the WTO and 
anticipate that the appropriate attention will continue to be paid to these issues in the on -going 
work of the WTO.  
 
Emphasize  the necessity for the continued inclusion of SVEs in the consultations held within the 
regular bodies and the negotiating groups on issues relating to the work of the Organization.  
 
Stress  the importance of continuing the constructiv e engagement to find concrete and appropriate 
solutions to respond to th e trade -related is sues of Small, Vulnerable Economies.  
 
Express  appreciation to the Government and people of Argentina for their warm and generous 
hospitality and for their contributio n to a successful Eleventh Session of the World Trade 
Organization Ministerial Conference.  
 
9 December 2017  
Buenos Aires, Argentina  
 
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