JOB/GC/143  
18 October  2017 
(17-5638) Page: 1/2 
 Original:  French  
 
  
INFORMAL MINISTERIAL MEETING  
MARRAKESH, 9 -10 OCTOBER 2017  
CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIR  
COMMUNICATION FROM M OROCCO  
The following communication, dated 1 7 October  2017, is being circulated at the reque st of the 
delegation of Morocco . 
 
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1.1.  Ministers and delegates of 35 WTO Member countries, representing a broad spectrum of the 
Organization's Members , met in Marrakesh, on 9 and 1 0 October  2017, in the presence of the 
WTO Director -General and the MC11 Chair, with a shared desire not only to safeguard the 
multilateral trading system, but to give political impetus and clear direction to the negotiations 
with a view to co ncrete outcomes in Buenos Aires . 
1.2.  Ministers acknowledged  that trade is a driver  of economic growth and development for all 
countries, in particular LDCs, and that WTO rules should contribute to the industrialization of these 
economies and their structural transformation, so that they too can enjoy t he benefits of the 
multilateral trading system . 
1.3.  Ministers discussed the importance of ensuring that special and differential treatment forms  
an integral part of all WTO Agreements and future multilateral outcomes, so as to be  operationally 
effective and enable developing countries, in particular LDCs, to address their development needs  
effectively . 
1.4.  Ministers acknowledged the importance of agriculture, which remains at the heart of the 
agenda of many countries . 
1.5.  Cotton  was highlighted by a number of African  countries, in particular LDCs , which would like 
to find expeditious, ambitious and specific solutions for this sector , before the MC11 . 
1.6.  On a different note, Ministers welcomed the efforts made in the negotiations on fisher ies 
subsidies and call ed for the momentum of these negotiations to be maintained  with a view to their 
successful conclusion in Buenos Aires . 
1.7.  Ministers reaffirmed the importance of services, which contribute  significantly to world 
economic growth, including that of developing coun tries, in terms  of both GDP share and jobs. The 
successful conclusion of this process is i mportant for WTO Members . 
1.8.  Also discussed were new issues  such as e -commerce, in part icular in the age of the 
fourth  industrial revolution, and the promising role that  it can play in improving world trade . 
Emphasis was placed on how  e-commerce can help developing and least developed countries to 
increase their growth rates and structurally transform their economies . 
1.9.  Ministers also acknowledged the current digital divide , as well as the shortfalls still faced by 
developing countries in terms of infrastructural, technological, legal and institutional capacity, 
which constitute  major constraints to benefiting from the advantages of e-commerce . For this 
reason, it is necessa ry to continue discussing  the proposed rules on e-commerce, with a view to JOB/GC/1 43 
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  better understanding the implications, challenges and stakes involved and find ing appropriate 
responses that take into account the interests of all countries . 
1.10.   While recognizing the need to ensure an open, inclusive and transparent negotiating process 
that involves  all WTO Members and tak es into account the strategic interests of each of them , 
Ministers agreed on the importance of continuing the negotiations in G eneva, with a view to 
achieving concrete and balan ced outcomes . 
1.11.   It was recommended that regular high -level meeting s be held in order to ensure the 
follow -up of these recommendations before heading to Buenos Aires . 
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