WT/MIN(17)/ST/102  
5 January  2018 
(18-0092) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MR ILDEFONSO GUAJARDO VILLARREAL  
MINISTER OF THE ECONOMY  
MEXICO 
It has been almost 15 years since a Ministerial Conference was last held in Latin America.  
The regional  context has changed  considerably  since 2003 ( Cancun  Ministerial) . 
Indeed, t he boom in raw materials that boosted the growth of various Latin American economies , 
with the development of exports , has ended.  
In spite of this, the insight  among most democraci es of the region that openness and integration 
can help us generate greater growth opportunities for our societies has taken a strong er hold. 
Today, Argentina is poised to become one of the most important  hubs of integration  in 
Latin America , and the fact that this ministerial meeting is being held here in Buenos  Aires reflects 
that leadership.  
In recent decades, international trade has become one of the most significant drivers of economic 
growth both worldwide and within our economies.  
This would not have been possible without the platform  provided by the WTO , with its  set of robust 
and clear rules that give  certainty to trade between our countries.  
The system is not perfect, of course, but the only way to strengthen it is to continue working  on its 
development.  
Today, the multilateral trading system is being called in to question, since its benefits have not fed 
through to all sectors of our societies.  
Some believe  that the only thing  we can achieve here in Buenos Aires is simply to keep the WTO 
afloat.  
In Mexico's view, that belief  would be a mistake.  
The WTO is supported by all of its Members.  
It is our collective undertaking to do so that gives meaning and strength to the rules and 
mechanisms created under the umbrella of this Organization.  
A great many  Members share Mexico's  view, as reflected in the Declaration  issued today by the 
"Friends of the System"  group , in which we  call for preserving  the soundness  of the multilateral 
trading system.  
For Mexico, this ministerial meeting provides  the opportunity to reinvigorate the ongoing 
discussions within our Organization and to send a clear message to the world that , in the face of WT/MIN(17)/ST/102  
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  today's difficulties , we can reach agreements at the WTO and outline future actions in order to 
address the concerns  of our societies and the challenges facing the Organization  itself. 
Mexico has come to Buenos Aires with two objectives:  
To achieve agreements on unfinished business on the agenda, bearing in mind those areas where 
it is ever  increasingly urgent to take action, such as agriculture and fisheries ; and to outline  the 
agenda for the future  by means of  a work programme for the  next two years, with specific actions 
that address the challenges of the 21st century economy.  
Mexico reiterates its commitment to this  Organization, the multilateral trading system , the 
strengthening of regional integration in Latin America, and to Argentina with a view to making  this 
Eleventh Ministerial Conference a success.  
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