WT/MIN(22)/ST/7  
12 June 2022 
(22-4443) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original:  French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MR YVES FERNAND MANFOUMBI  
MINISTER OF TRADE AND SMALL AND  
MEDIUM -SIZED ENTERPRISES  
GABON 
My delegation associates itself with the statements made by the African and the African, Caribbean 
and Pacific Groups.  
 
It is an honour for me to take the floor on behalf of Gabon at this Twelfth Ministerial Conference of 
the World Trade Organization, which is taking place against an international backdrop marked by 
the harmful effects of COVID -19 and the current economic crisis.  
 
I would also like to thank you for the opportunity to reiterate my warmest congratulations to the 
Director -General of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala , for her dynamic 
leadership of this Organization . My delegation remains confident that  you are committed to 
furthering its priorities throughout your tenure.  
 
The current WTO Ministerial Conference provides the Government of Gabon with an  ideal opportunity 
to reaffirm its commitment to the multilateral trading system and its faith in the Wo rld Trade 
Organization, whose reputation and future hinge on the success of our work.  
 
As you know, the unprecedented and still very present crisis that was created in particular by the 
COVID -19 pandemic has turned the structures of our societies, economie s and coexistence on their 
heads . The crisis has revealed the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of our economies and our health 
systems, forcing us to rethink our development models in order to make them more dynamic.  
 
To this end, the rules -based multilatera l trading system that is so dear to our countries must respond 
to these challenges through the positive, full and continuous commitment of all its Members.  
 
That is why the results of our present work must work towards that objective, not only to make the 
WTO credible, but also to meet the expectations of least developed countries, developing countries 
and, most importantly, our respective people s. 
 
We must work to achieve consensus in several areas of our negotiations, in particular fisheries 
subsidies ; food security ; the work programme on e -commerce and the moratorium ; agriculture ; the 
WTO response to the pandemic ; and reform of the WTO.  
 
Concerning fi sheries, Gabon attaches great importance to the issue of fisheries subsidies , which fuel 
overcapacity, overfishing and the large -scale destruction of the fish stock, as well as to issues related 
to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, in order to s afeguard the aquatic balance.  
 
We hope that these negotiations will give rise to a fair  and balanced agreement and result in the 
removal of the aforementioned subsidies . We also hope that special and differential treatment for 
least developed countries and  developing countries will allow the expansion and protection of 
small -scale fishing, which is the main activity of our vulnerable economies.  
 
In terms of food security, Gabon is a net importing country for food . Like other developing countries, 
it suffers  from the current difficulties linked to soaring commodity prices and maritime cargo costs, 
which inevitably lead to a substantial increase in import costs, especially for food products.  WT/MIN(22)/ST/7  
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It is therefore essential to establish fair market -regulation rules,  with no discrimination and without 
neglecting sustainable production systems to safeguard small, highly vulnerable economies.  
 
In the area of  electronic commerce and trade in services, it is of the utmost importance that our 
aid-for-trade partners provide  technical assistance to developing countries in order to increase 
uptake of these new areas, which have proved to be essential during the pandemic.  
 
Negotiations taking place on agriculture should substantially improve market access to agricultural 
produc ts – an important source of trade for agricultural -oriented countries – through the introduction 
of an open agricultural trading system that takes special and differential treatment into account.  
 
As a reminder, the Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Export C ompetition, introduced during the 2015 
Ministerial Conference and still under negotiation, should result in a consensus that highlights the 
principle of transparency in export subsidies so that the protection of our infant industries can be 
implemented eff ectively and objectively.  
 
On the special safeguard mechanism, we support any actions designed to ensure the objective 
assessment of import surges that cause injury to our small, highly vulnerable economies and that 
will protect our domestic production, in  particular our infant industries.  
 
Concerning the COVID -19 pandemic, which is gradually waning, my country supports measures to 
increase vaccine manufacturing, which will enable effective vaccination coverage.  
 
Like several developing countries, Gabon sup ports the necessary reform of the WTO, as well as 
multilateralism, which must continue to be supported . We would like these reforms to introduce fair 
measures and disciplines that take into account the development level of each Member, including 
the Appell ate Body, which must be operational.  
 
I would like to conclude by wishing the Conference every success in its work.  
 
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