WT/MIN(22)/ST/69  
12 June 2022 
(22-4506) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY HON. IAN DOUGLAS  
MINISTER  FOR TRADE, COMMERCE, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, INNOVATION , 
BUSINESS  AND EXPORT DEVELOPMENT  
DOMINICA  
I bring your warm greetings on behalf of the government and people of the Commonwealth of 
Dominica – the Nature Island of the World, whom I have the honor and privilege of representing at 
MC12. Allow me to associate with the statements on behalf of the Org anization of Eastern Caribbean 
States (OECS), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), my other OECS colleagues and the Africa 
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states.   
 
MC12 is unprecedented in many ways. First, it is the first time in the history of the WTO that we 
have gone 5 years between ministerial conferences. Second, it is perhaps the first ministerial 
conference that is taking place in the midst of multiple global crises. Twice, our conference has been 
postponed due to the COVID -19 pandemic; supply -side dislocati ons, scarcity of raw materials, delays 
on the Ports and the high cost of shipping triggers justified concerns of a pending food security crisis; 
rising energy prices are of serious concern to Dominica as this has a ripple effect across sectors and 
evidenti ally stands to undermine many of the gains which several countries have made in recent 
years.  
 
Of course, we are presently in the Hurricane Season a time when citizens of my country are poised 
for the unforeseen and pray for the best! We have put measures  in place to increase and improve 
resilience as we work towards our long -term objective of being the first climate resilient country in 
the world; however for countries such as Dominica, the persistent threats of natural disasters, 
climatic events and envi ronmental emergencies continue to challenge our very existence.  
 
I cannot recall a time when such a confluence of global shocks existed simultaneously. However, 
global problems also require global solutions and retreating to parochialism is not an attract ive 
alternative; notably, I opine, that had we been more global in our orientation at the beginning of 
the Covid -19 pandemic,  we would have a much better prognosis today and would have been better 
able to save more lives and experienced a more equitable va ccine distribution. Dominica therefore 
supports the intellectual property waiver for COVID -19 vaccines and it is incumbent on us to harvest 
a decision on this at MC12.  
 
Let me now turn my attention to the negotiations on fisheries subsidies; fishing is tr emendously 
important to the provision of protein and nutrition to our population but also secures the livelihoods 
of our most vulnerable within our communities; we are all aware that many countries, especially 
large fishing nations, provide massive amounts  of subsidies to the fishing sector; many of these 
subsidies lead to overfishing, and also contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. A 
recent UNCTAD Report established that over $20 billion of the $35 billion worth of fishing subsidies 
directly contributes to overfishing. Dominica is not a part of this statistic and therefore continues to 
call for Special and Differential Treatment provisions, within the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement to 
treat with and justifiably so, our artisan fishermen.   
 
Further, of the 600 fish stocks evaluated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 
33% are now either overfished or depleted, and most of the rest are at their limit. Overfishing wreaks 
havoc on marine ecosystems and disrupts a crucial elem ent of the food chain that humans and other 
animals alike rely on. This has to be hard fought to ensure protein preservation for generations to 
come! Therefore, part of a meaningful outcome, to be supported by Dominica, must also include WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 69 
 
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  adequate policy sp ace for countries like ours, which are not contributors to the problem of 
overfishing, to develop their sector in a sustainable manner, through an appropriate small players ' 
exemption and a carveout for our artisanal and small -scale fishers.  
 
Additionally, Dominica also has a keen interest in the reform of the WTO and at MC12, we are 
prepared to support the launch of a multilateral process which is open, inclusive and transparent. 
As a matter of priority, we also want to see the restoration of the full functioning of the Dispute 
Settlement System to secure the sanctity of the WTO.  
 
Finally, having experienced more than our fair share of natural disasters and climatic events, we 
seek the practical reflection of the outcomes on the consultancy wh ich established the nexus between 
trade and natural disasters, within the relevant WTO Agreements and ensure that other issues which 
are germane to the wellbeing of small economies, such as building and strengthening resilience post -
Covid -19 are addressed by Members. It is in this context that we laud the Ministerial Decision on 
the Work Programme on Small Economies.  
 
Dominica reiterates its commitment to a successful MC12 and a viable multilateral trading system 
with the WTO at its core.  
 
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