WT/MIN(17)/ST/83  
4 January  2018 
(18-0038) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original:  French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MR JOFFRE VAN -DUNÉM JÚNIOR  
MINISTER OF TRADE  
ANGOLA  
Angola endorses the statements by the African, LDC and ACP Groups . 
More than 16 years after it was launched, the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations has 
delivered few outcomes for the benefit of developing countries . This Round should serve as a basis 
for development of the multilateral trading system and fulfilment  of the principles and objectives 
enshrine d in the Marrakesh Agreement.  
The objective underscored in th e preamble of the WTO Agreement of ensuring substantial 
participation of the developing countries in international trade is still  no more than an ambitious 
statement of intent.  
Equally problemati c is the fact that we are witnessing the adoption of protectionist measures and 
hearing political rhetoric against the multilateral trading system.  
Angola considers that multilate ralism remains the best option to counter protectionism and 
nationalistic sen timents underpinned by anti -trade rhetoric.  
The multilateral trading system afford s a framework of rules, regulations and directives  that 
provid e for fair and open access to the international  trading system for all WTO Members.  
Agriculture is a leading economic sector, especially in Africa, that employs more than half of the 
labour force . Many African governments have accordingly placed agriculture at the forefront of 
their development programmes and increased the share of their national budgets for this vital 
sector.  
These efforts will not be successful if the global agricultural market continues to be plagued by 
competition arising from the subsidies granted by certain countries to their farmers.  
Angola  has always shared with th e other African countries the Agriculture Agreement objective  of 
establishing "a fair, market -oriented agricultural trading system " and is in favour of a substantial 
reduction in trade -distorting global subsidies.  
Remaining on the subject of agricultur e, we support a ministerial decision that provides  a 
permanent solution on public stockholding for food security purposes , with the inclusion of future 
programmes.  
This type of programme will make it possible to adopt measures to reduce hunger and ensure 
access to safe , nutritious and sufficient food for all , in particular the poor and the vulnerable, 
including children . 
As regards rules, Angola considers it equally import to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies 
that contribute to overcapacity and  overfishing, and to eliminate subsidies that contribute to 
illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals.  WT/MIN(17)/ST/83  
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  On trade in services, we believe that any approach should recognize the right of Members to the 
policy space necessary for them to adopt development -oriented regulations.  
It is essential , in our view,  that the Doha-related issues be concluded and  that the development 
dimension serve as a guide for the work ahead , before the new issues, such as those of electronic 
commerce, investment facilitation and micro, small and medium -sized enterprises , are addressed.  
Angola believe s that a multilateral trading system is preferable to a fragmented system and 
stresses  that the rules must be fair and equitable, while taking into account the different levels of 
development of WTO Members . 
Nonetheless, the current multilateral trading system grants inordinate benefits to certain 
countries, with scant progress for the vast majority.  
We emphasize the need to conclude the ongoing  round of trade negotiations aimed at rectifying 
the inco nsistencies  of the previous rounds and pla cing the development dimension at the heart of 
our every concern.  
Despite differences between Members, we consider it  necessary to make far greater efforts to 
ensure that trade brings prosperity to the populations of developing and least developed countries.  
Angola is currently implementing policy measures to shed its dependence on exports of a single 
commodity, namely oil.  
Such depen dence makes the country vulnerable to the volatility of international market prices and 
external economic shocks.  
In this connection, t he Angolan Government's priority is to increase the country's production 
capacity in order to diversify its economy and e xpand its range of exports.  
The priority areas for the Angolan Government are, inter alia , to strengthen economic resilience, 
broaden the export base, and modernize agriculture and agro -industry, with a view to  creating 
jobs, raising income, and bettering the population's quality of life.  
The success of these diversification efforts depend s on a favourable international environment 
targeted at sustainable development.  
Angola therefore underscores the need for preferential market access, based on fair and eq uitable 
rules that promote effective participation in regional and global value chains.  
Pursuant to our commitment towards the multilateral trading system, I wish to take this 
opportunity to announce that Angola will shortly deposit its instruments of r atification of the WTO 
Trade Facilitation Agreement and the TRIPS amendment . 
 
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