WT/MIN(15)/ST/98  
5 January 2016  
(16-0059)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: French  
 
  STATEMENT BY H.E. MR JOSÉ LUÍS MONTEIRO 
AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE WTO 
CABO VERDE 
We would first of all like to say how pleased we are that this Conference is being held on African 
soil and to express our thanks and congratulations to the Government of Kenya for its generous offer and very successful organization of this major event.  
May the Membership in turn successfully deliver on the challenges before it today. 
 Essentially, the deadlock in which we find ourselves challenges our capacity to ascertain how we 
wish to define the concept, role and responsibilities of international trade and the multilateral 
trading system. And yet, in adopting the Doha Ag enda, our Organization appeared to be clear on 
the roadmap: the multilateral trading system was to provide equitable ground rules for all of its 
actors, while granting those in need of it special and differential treatment that would ensure 
beneficial integration into the system and contribute to their development.  In the post-Doha period, as evidenced by the very important international conferences held 
in 2015, intergovernmental activity centred on  the key goals of development and general 
well-being is an acknowledged requirement and a growing practice. Trade is no exception to the 
rule, and in that sense, the WTO's Agenda, which places development at the heart of the 
multilateral trading system, takes on even more critical significance. 
 However, for many years now, and in particular since 2008, the will to implement the 
Doha Agenda has become hesitant and appears to be fading away. The Ninth Conference in Bali 
reached a delicate compromise, reflecting a constr uctive spirit among the developing countries 
and, above all, a wish to hold on to trust, which, however, was not unanimously shared within the group. The Work Programme to conclude the Doha  Round, which was the cornerstone of the Bali 
package, remains unfinished, and there is little of substance on the table to be delivered in 
Nairobi. Under these circumstances, successfully addr essing that substance, if not in whole then at 
least to a high degree, and a decision to move ahead at a brisk pace after Nairobi towards 
completion of the Doha Work Programme is what we believe may determine the success of this 
Conference.  
We are aware of the difficulties and objections that threaten the political will displayed by some 
p artie s . Solu tions  ne e d  to b e found  rathe r than  suggestions made to take the easy way out in 
order to justify the - albeit implicit - jettisoning of Doha.  
Africa has been on its quest for development for too long. Despite the positive signal sent by 
economic growth across the continent, Africa knows that it will not cross the necessary critical threshold without the industrialization process that its leaders have decided to undertake. Several 
indispensable special and differential treatment meas ures to that effect are on the table, among 
other important measures proposed by the G-90. African countries are banking on their partners accepting these measures as a prerequisite to help lift obstacles to industrialization of the 
continent. 
 We shall not go into the details here of ongoin g discussions on the issue of the treatment to be 
granted to SVEs. Cabo Verde, which until recent ly belonged to the LDC category, has graduated 
from LDC status, whereas it was, and remains, well below the threshold of economic vulnerability WT/MIN(15)/ST/98 
- 2 - 
  that, among other factors, characterizes an LDC. And yet the country's development partners have 
markedly and rapidly reduced their support as a result of its new status. Cabo Verde is very well aware of the reality and value of specificity and the particular needs of economies that are both small and vulnerable. We believe that it would make no sense whatsoever - under a zero-sum 
rationale - to fear specific support for the SVEs and to want to keep these countries in a state 
devoid of personality. We remain confident that th e proper positive response will be found to this 
issue on our agenda. 
 
To conclude, we warmly wish Liberia and Afghanistan every success as new Members of this Organization.  
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