WT/MIN(17)/ST/12  
 
13 December  2017 
(17-6888) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: Spanish  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR  RODOLFO NIN NOVOA  
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS  
URUGUAY  
It is an honour for me, as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, to  
address each and every Member State of the World Trade Organization present here today, and 
especially to welcome, on this occasion, the authorities of our sister country, the Republic of 
Argentina. I express the hope, on behalf of Uruguay, that the effor ts invested in  this Eleventh 
Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires will yield not only success for the Organization, but also 
substantive progress in the multilateral international trade negotiations.  
 
Our status as a small economy has played a role in sh aping our historical internationalist leaning s. 
Historically, our  viability as a nation has  been determined by our strategy of international 
economic integration. Either Uruguay is international or it is not  … We have thus aimed to diversify 
our export destinations  and a ttract  sustainable investment, while preserving the sovereignty of our 
people. In this regard, the WTO has consistently play ed a fundamental role.  
 
Our country reaffirms the importance and validity of the WTO Agreements, resulting from th e 
Uruguay Round of the GATT, which was launched  in Punta del Este in 1986 . These Agreements 
serve as tools to provide legal support for the development of international trade.  We underscore 
the relevance of the dispute settlement mechanism as a key instrum ent for ensuring compliance 
with the rules agreed upon among WTO Members.  
 
We understand that this multilateral body, while perfectible, remains entirely valid. As Members , 
we are called upon not only to defend and reaffirm  the bold work of the generations that preceded  
us and their dedication to these matters , but also to pursue  our efforts  in order to  improve this 
legacy for future generations.  
 
We also consider that Uruguay is marked out by its history  to defend this lega cy, as the last Round 
of GATT negotiations, which bears our country's  name, resul ted in the creation of the WTO.  
 
We come to this Ministerial Conference with renewed optimism that we will achieve progress on 
the three pillars of the Agreement on Agricultur e, particularly in respect of domestic support, an 
area in which Uruguay has participated actively in previous negotiations in order to reach  a 
satisfactory agreement here in Buenos Aires.  
 
If the negotiations on domestic support were to result  in the prevention of future increases in  
agricultural subsidies, we would see  a positive impact on price-setting  on the markets for these 
products in the future. This would also lead to the prevention of  future distortions affecting  the 
decisions of agricu ltural producers, and would have a significant effect on consumers, particularly 
those with lower purchasing power . 
 
Furthermore, we note with concern the re -emergence of protectionist ideas, which call into 
question the role of trade in the development of  countries. Our commitment to dialogue means 
that we are predisposed  to participate in all of the negotiating bodies needed to improve the 
multilateral system, particularly in the case of international trade.  However, we will be the first to 
oppose a regre ssion towards a "law of the jungle" system, in which the law of the strongest and 
loudest prevails.  
 WT/MIN(17)/ST/12  
 
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  It is important to point out that we are experiencin g a period of significant technological change 
which has an effect on  trade flows of goods and services, and consequently on matters  that are 
discussed in trade agreements at the international level. New technologies  have enabled us to 
reduce distance s and save time in every respect, not only to expand the boundaries of kno wledge , 
but also to establish new me thods of production and trade.  
 
Policymakers must rise to the occasion, particularly with regard to the challenge of agreeing on 
rules for new disciplines, and look towards innovative forms of production and trade, inclu ding 
both goods  and services. On this point,  I would like to emphasize the importan t role  of 
e-commerce and the related dialogue in giving  impetus  to small and medium -sized enterprises, 
which is on the agenda for this Eleventh Ministerial Conference.  
 
As it attaches  great value to high-quality , productive investments, Uruguay , as a member of the 
group of countries interested in working on investment facilitation , requests the Chair to hold a 
working session on the sidelines of this Ministerial  Conference, with the aim of creating a forum  for 
discussion and reflection on this subject.  
 
Lastly , and just as importantly as the above, we must remember that trade is a necessary activity, 
but it is not enough in itself to improve the well -being of society.  In the lives of  individuals, 
organizations and, without doubt, countries, it is necessary to build and strengthen capacities to 
carry out work, so that worthy efforts may produce increasingly attractive returns.  
 
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