WT/MIN(15)/ST/113  
6 January 2016  
(16-0100)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY THE HON. CYNTHIA VERA HOPE STRACHAN 
MINISTER OF FINANCIAL SERVICES 
(Speaking as an Observer) 
BAHAMAS  
As the Minister responsible for international trade for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, I am 
pleased to address this august body. I wish to express deep appreciation to the Government and 
people of Kenya for their warm hospitality.  
 
The Bahamas has made significant strides in its accession process and remains fully committed to a successful conclusion.  Our ongoing engagement with the Accessions Division and a recent visit 
to the Bahamas by the Chairman of the Working Party have contributed much to advance the 
process.  We will intensify our efforts to submit, in the near future, additional documentation to expedite the next meeting of the Working Party. 
 
The Government of The Bahamas is mindful of both the vulnerabilities of the Bahamian economy and the benefits of WTO membership.  As a small developing archipelago, The Bahamas faces peculiar developmental challenges including replicating infrastructure on twenty two inhabited 
islands, regardless of size or population. The country is vulnerable to external shocks, hurricanes 
and flooding as demonstrated last October, when  Hurricane Joaquin devastated the livelihood of 
thousands of people in the central Bahamas. This presents economic challenges for the country. 
 
Access to foreign markets and attracting foreign direct investment is therefore crucial to the economic wellbeing of The Bahamas.  Membership  in the WTO therefore brings the stability and 
predictability conducive for trade and investment. Remaining on the fringes of the WTO system is 
no longer a viable option.   As an acceding state, we believe that The Bahamas should not be required to make concessions 
that would constrain the country’s development or require it to make commitments beyond those 
undertaken by similar countries in the Caribbean. Further, negotiations should be in accordance with the principles of special and differenti al treatment and less than full reciprocity.  
 
The process of accession remains a challenging on e given our limited capacity and resources. The 
Bahamas is largely excluded from eligibility for concessional loans and grants, because of what is 
perceived as our relatively high per capita income.  This measurement of development ignores 
practical realties of archipelagos like The Bahama s and does not truly reflect the peculiarities of 
the income structure of the country.  
Targeted financial, technical and capacity building  programmes, including that of Aid for Trade are 
important to assist developing countries integrate into the multilateral trading system. We therefore hope to see a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda negotiations. 
Preserving a fair and inclusive rules based system is fundamental to the integrity of the 
multilateral trading system. The Bahamas also maintains that the WTO can play a meaningful role in achieving the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
 WT/MIN(15)/ST/113 
 
- 2 - 
 
  In closing The Bahamas congratulates the Republic of Liberia and the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan on their accession to the WTO and we  look forward to being among those countries 
next welcomed into the WTO family.   
__________