WT/MIN(15)/ST/49  
18 December 2015  
(15-6790)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: French  
 
  STATEMENT BY H.E. MR MARC YOMBOUNO 
MINISTER OF TRADE 
GUINÉA 
On behalf of the President of the Republic, Head of State Pr Alpha CONDE, his Government and the 
people of Guinea, I would like to thank the peop le and Government of the Republic of Kenya for 
the thoroughly African welcome and hospitality they have accorded to my Delegation and myself since our arrival in this beautiful country. 
 
We are also grateful to Director-General Mr Roberto Azevêdo and the staff of the WTO Secretariat for the report presented and the excellent preparat ions made for this Ministerial Conference, the 
first to be held in an African country. 
 It is more than 14 years since the Members of the WTO launched the Doha Development Agenda, 
in the hope of placing the development dime nsion at the heart of all our decisions. 
 Guinea would like to reaffirm its support for that Agenda, the only opportunity for the economically weaker countries to participate in the multilateral trading system and to profit from it. 
 
My country hopes that the Doha Round will finally be concluded, not only to enable the WTO to honour its commitments but above all to enable our Organization to preserve its legitimacy and 
fulfil its obligation as the guarantor of a transparent, open and predictable multilateral trading 
system.  
In many developing countries the supporting role played by trade in favour of productive sectors 
such as agriculture, livestock breeding, fishing,  tourism and crafts is becoming increasingly 
important.  
In this respect, the Republic of Guinea endorses  the statements made by the African Union, the 
ACP Group and the LDC Group.  
We also ask that the flexibilities negotiated in favour of the developing countries be preserved and 
that they be fully taken into account in the principles of inclusion and transparency.  
The Republic of Guinea invites Members to make concrete commitments to the negotiating issues 
on which progress is being made. In this connection, we urge Members to adopt a binding package in favour of the LDCs that would take into account the Bali decisions on the operationalization of the waiver concerning preferential treatment to se rvices and service suppliers of LDCs, preferential 
rules of origin for LDCs, and duty-free and qu ota-free market access for imports from LDCs. 
 For a good many African economies, including that  of Guinea, cotton is a question of survival. 
Accordingly, my country is asking that these problems be dealt with in such a way as to eliminate 
the loss of income linked with the subsidies an d domestic support granted by partners. In the 
LDCs, the social and economic aspects of agriculture make that sector very sensitive, which is why 
it needs to receive especially close attention. 
 We urge Members to eliminate all forms of subsidies that distort and harm our countries' economies. 
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  The Republic of Guinea reaffirms its commitment to the special and differential treatment (SDT) 
provisions in the various WTO Agreements and all the relevant decisions.  We therefore urge Members to take a more responsible approach to the proposals on SDT 
submitted by the ACP group, which are economic ally beneficial and capable of creating an 
industrial base for our countries.  
The Enhanced Integrated Framework, an Aid-fo r-Trade programme that helps LDCs to take 
advantage of opportunities for access to both regional and world markets, facilitates their participation in value chains by building human and structural capacities and strengthening respect for the rules that promote market access. 
 
I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my country, to thank the Director-General of the WTO for having organized the pledging conference for the second phase of the EIF, on the fringe 
of this Tenth Ministerial Conference, and to urge donors to allocate additional resources to the 
EIF Trust Fund. If the EIF is to endure, we shall need predictable, lasting and effective resources.  
As you know, Guinea is the beneficiary of a Tier 2 EIF project concerning mangoes. This project is 
providing small farmers with support to develop the mango value chain, from production to marketing, all of which is helping the Guinean Government in its efforts to reduce poverty.  
The Republic of Guinea is eager to see the WTO' s Tenth Ministerial Conference sanctioned by a 
declaration proposing ways of solving the various problems that are preventing the normal functioning of the multilateral trading system, on the one hand, and the global economy in 
general, on the other. 
 My country would like to reiterate its commitment to multilateral trade negotiations, since the 
Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the sustainable development goals adopted by the 
United Nations clearly show that in multilateral negotiations political will can move mountains in order to arrive at an agreement.  
My country is convinced that if the political will  of the WTO's Members can prevail over personal 
interests, Nairobi will prove a success as far as the well-being and socio-economic development of our peoples are concerned. 
 
To conclude, Madam Chair, allow me to discharge an agreeable duty, namely, to express my gratitude to President Uhuru KENYATTA. His presence at the opening ceremony for this 
Tenth Ministerial Conference is proof of the prof ound commitment of the leaders of Kenya to the 
multilateral trading system.  Allow me also to congratulate the Sister Republic of Liberia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 
on their accession to the WTO. 
 Finally, Madam Chair, please convey to His Ex cellency President Kenyatta the most fraternal 
greetings of his Brother His Excellency Pr Alpha CONDE, President of the Republic of Guinea and 
Head of State.  
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