WT/MIN(15)/ST/102  
 
5 January 2016  
(16-0082)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: French  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR RIDHA LAHOUEL 
MINISTER OF TRADE 
TUNISIA  
I am particularly pleased to take part in the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi. I would like to 
express sincere thanks to the Kenyan Governme nt and people and congratulate them for the 
outstanding organization and smooth running of this important event.  
This Conference is being held at a critical time since the creation of the World Trade Organization 
where there are high expectations that the WTO should achieve universal membership and be capable of regulating trade efficiently, whilst allowing more extensive and tangible participation 
of the developing countries in world trade. 
 To that end, the negotiating function of the Organi zation should be directed at building up global 
trade-related cooperation for everyone's benefit. 
 Paradoxically, 14 years after the launching of the Doha Development Agenda, the Round has yet to be completed. Is this a pretext to stall the negotiations and do away with the Round? This would 
impair all of the WTO's other functions by undermi ning the credibility of the system as a whole. 
 In spite of their importance, the regional and me ga-regional trade agreements that have emerged 
as an alternative solution cannot replace the WTO's global system. The resulting proliferation 
of standards is a major source of concern for small countries and hampers the latter's small and medium-sized enterprises in their endeavours to access global markets. 
 
Likewise, these regional agreements are far from handling certain trade-related rules correctly and cannot therefore substitute for the multilateral trading system as a bastion of trade.  
The launching of the Doha Round was an essential response to the need to establish fairer and 
more equitable rules that would make it possible to integrate all economic sectors in a manner consistent with world trade. The elimination of trade-distorting measures and obstacles that 
prevent the developing countries from taking ad vantage of global markets was one of the key 
objectives of the Round. These issues remain all the more relevant and critical today, and these 
countries have repeatedly emphasized the urgenc y of resolving them in order to ensure their 
increased participation in world trade. 
 The new Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 agreed this year reiterate the role of trade for development. Delivery of a meaningful agreement in Nairobi and re-engagement to conclude the 
Doha Development Round will be a strong catalyst for achieving these goals. 
 Significant strides have been made in this direction. It is nonetheless regrettable that we have 
come to this Ministerial Conference with outlin es of an ambiguous and very limited package. 
We must set to work in order to leave Nairobi with a package of balanced and meaningful development-oriented outcomes. We underscore the need to move forward under a clear and 
credible post-Nairobi work programme based on the progress already made. 
 We have to bear in mind that failure in Nairobi will undermine growth and development prospects and will jeopardize the sustainability of the multil ateral trading system and the future of the WTO. 
I hope that wisdom will prevail. WT/MIN(15)/ST/102 
 
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  High priority should be given to agriculture, implementation issues and special and differential 
treatment. Particular attention should also be  paid to the needs of least developed and net 
food-importing developing countries in order to ac hieve food security objectives. Tunisia reiterates 
its call for these countries to be able to implement policies and instruments aimed at increasing 
farmers' incomes and boosting rural development. 
 I also take this opportunity to congratulate Afghanistan and Liberia on their accession to the WTO 
and reaffirm our support for the early accession of other countries. 
 Lastly, I wish to emphasize that Tunisia, whic h was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for the 
national dialogue that shepherded the country in its transition to democracy, reaffirms its steadfast 
commitment to continue working constructively with the other Members in defence of a balanced 
multilateral trading system based on equitable rules.  
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