WT/MIN(22)/ST/51  
12 June 2022  
(22-4488) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12-15 June  2022 Original: Spanish  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR DANIEL LEGARDA  
DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE  
ECUADOR  
It is a great honour to lead the delegation of Ecuador at this Twelfth Ministerial Conference . My 
country has high expectations for reaching  an understanding  swiftly , and for the most important 
forum o n global trade to offer solutions on issues  that are  of critical importance to humanity, 
especially  in the face of the current global challenges marked by post -pandemic and inflationary 
pressure,  particularly on food costs.  
 
I would like to extend warm greetings from the Government of  Ecuador on behalf of our President, 
Guillermo Lasso Mendoza , and our Minister of Production and Foreign Trade, Julio José Prado.  
 
I would also like to draw attention  to the good offices of the Director -General for bringing  positions 
closer to achieving the objectives of this Twelfth  Ministerial Conference. Ecuador hopes that we will 
be able to reach understandings that strengthen the principles of the trading system and the 
foundations for prosperous development  in every region of the world . 
 
In order to achieve prosperity, Ecuador has set itself the goal of further integrating  into the 
international economy and attracting investment for sustainable development . "More Ecuador in the 
world and more of the world in Ecuador" is the guiding principle behind  our broad international 
agenda and negotiations, with a view to concluding  bilateral and regional agreements  in the coming 
years with our main trading partners, which we are sure will strengthen our commitment to 
multilateralism.  
 
We have been hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, both on a human level and economically. In 
terms of our actions aimed at  recovery over the past two  years, we have focused on openne ss and 
international cooperation, which has allowed our  economy to resume a path of growth and to regain 
ground in terms of employment and poverty reduction.  
 
This is why we are convinced that the multilateral system and the WTO can play a key role in 
addressing post-pandemic  challenges , the supply chain crisis, particularly  with regard to  food and 
agricultural inputs, and climate change, through collective action to eliminate barriers to trade and 
the implementation of agreements to preserve the sustainabi lity of our planet.  
 
With regard to  specific health topics, Ecuador calls on Members to seek agreements among all 
nations that  will preserve and protect free trade in vaccines, medicines, medical inputs and 
equipment, which is a key factor to ensuring this right. We reiterate our willingness to seek TRIPS 
flexibilities on vaccine patents.  
 
• On e-commerce issues, we believe that the negotiations should lead to the reduction of the 
digital and infra structure gap through capacity building  and technical and financial assistance.  
 
• We view the  package of proposals  reached  in the Working Group on MSME s as positive . These 
will help to address the obstacles to participat ing in international trade  faced by  such 
enterprises.  
 WT/MIN(22)/ST/51  
 
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  • Ecuador's new vision offers a business climate with investor -friendly guarantees. The 
Agreement on " investment facilitation for development" under negotiation will strengthen 
Ecuador's  public policy objectives and those of a  number of developing countries.  
 
• The WTO's multilateral agenda included gender and trade issues and women's economic 
empowerment as a way to contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.  
 
With regard to  the management of our fisheries resources, Ecuador promotes a blue economy , or 
responsible management of marine resource s in order to preserve the biodiversity and sustainability 
of our oceans.  
 
In this regard, we have established  two new marine reserves over the past  year totalling 
almost  200,000 km2, one of which is in the Galápagos Islands.  
 
We reaffirm our commitment to S DG target 14.6 and the negotiating mandates of the WTO, with 
view to establish ing a multilateral instrument with robust  disciplines.  
 
Ecuador has required effective protection for artisanal fish ing and will support an Agreement that 
preserves the flexibilities contained in the current text under revision.  
 
The disciplines to be adopted must preserve the principle of proportionality; the top 10 countries in 
marine capture fisheries account for more than 60% of total global production, and -roughly – more 
than half of the global  amount of fisheries subsidies.  
 
Agriculture, in the meantime, remains an activity for which  trade is central to the lives of dozens of 
nations, most of which are  developing countries . We are seeking a fair and market -oriented 
agricultural trading system, without arbitrary barriers and c onstraints, or measures that interfere 
with prices or impose phytosanitary restrictions other than technical standards adopted at the 
multilateral level.  
 
We welcome the initiatives put forward in agriculture by some Member countries and the Chair of 
the C ommittee on Agriculture. However, we note that transparency should be strengthened in the 
Green Room process , before the official submission of proposals . 
 
Ecuador could join the consensus on the Decision on exemption from export prohibitions or 
restrictio ns and the Declaration on trade and food security in light of  the current international food 
supply crisis. For the work programmes, all the topics covered must have the same scope , and clear 
and measurable guidelines and objectives, with specific deadline s. 
 
My country will continue to push forward the agricultural negotiations, and is preparing a proposal 
with the Latin American countries on the precepts to be followed in agricultural reform and food 
security.  
 
As to the environment , Ecuador is striving for a transition towards a modern, green and sustainable 
economy, seeing an opportunity in clean agriculture and the circular economy. Ecuador is one of the 
proud coordinators and a sponsor of the  WTO I nformal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution, and has joined 
the structured discussions on trade and environment  as a co -sponsor.  
 
Distinguished  Ministers, the WTO is an Organization that has been dragging agendas for 20 years 
and has not been able to respond quickly to the biggest global economic and trade crisis, which 
requires a reform that can only be agreed and implemented by its  Member countries.  
 
Ecuador therefore advocates reviewing the  Organization's function s in order to give  it a new impetus. 
From our perspective, when rev iewing the  current objectives of the WTO and the fundamental  
principles of the system , the principle of self -determination and capacity building for  developing and 
least developed countries must be an integral part of the Agreements.  
 
On behalf of the Repu blic of Ecuador, as a developing country  from Latin America , I would like to  
reiterate our commitment to strengthen ing multilateralism as a basis for addressing current and 
future challenges, and express our hope for  the necessary understandings among all Members.  
 
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