WT/MIN(15)/24
16 December 2015
(15-6641)  Page: 1/3
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English
 
MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE GROUP OF LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
NAIROBI - KENYA 
MINISTERIAL COMMUNIQUE 
The following communication, dated 16 December 2015,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Paraguay on behalf of the Landlocked Developing Countries.  
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We, the Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), having met on 16
th December 2015 
in Nairobi, Kenya, during the 10h Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, reiterate  
the strong commitment of the Group of LLDCs to the Multilateral Trading System, especially on the 
framework of the negotiations of the Doha Development Agenda,   
Recalling  the Asuncion Platform for the Doha Development Round, adopted at the Meeting of 
Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries Responsible for Trade on 10 August 2005 in Asuncion, Paraguay which articulates the common position of the Landlocked Developing countries for the ongoing negotiations of the Doha Development Round, 
 
Recalling  the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of LLDCs at the margin of the 9
th Ministerial 
Conference of the WTO held in Bali, Indonesia,  on 6 December 2013, in which LLDC’s Ministers 
adopted a Ministerial Communique that raised outstanding issues concerning the participation of 
LLDCs in the multilateral trading system.  
Recalling  the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 
2014-2024, adopted in December 2014, which provides a comprehensive plan of action for the next decade to address the special challenges an d needs of landlocked developing countries. We 
affirm our political commitment to implement this programme for sustainable development of our 
countries, with the support of development partners and transit countries, in the spirit of 
partnership and solidarity.  
Recalling  the meeting of Heads of State and Government and High Representatives of 
the 32 Landlocked Developing Countries, held in New York, on 28 September 2015, under the theme: "Linking Landlocked Developing Countries to Global Opportunities", during the 70
th Session 
of the United Nations General Assembly, and fo llowing the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for 
Sustainable Development at the 2015 United Na tions Summit on the post-2015 development 
agenda.  
Have adopted the following Ministerial Communiqué: 
 1. We call upon the WTO membership to strengthen the negotiation function of WTO and to 
reinvigorate work towards a successful conclusion of the Doha Development Round, with 
meaningful outcomes for developing countries and least developing countries. We insist that the post Nairobi scheme should be ambitious and development-centered. 
 
2. In the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO), we 
reaffirm our commitment to the Multilateral Trading System. International trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic development and the alleviation of poverty, 
especially through increasing market access and diminishing trade distortive measures. WT/MIN(15)/24 
 
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  3. In view of the continued hardships in international trade suffered by the landlocked 
developing countries, we stress the importance to have a specific Work Programme for LLDCs by the 11
th Ministerial Conference. This Work Programme will address the special 
needs, challenges and vulnerabilities of LLDCs in order to increase their participation in the 
Multilateral Trading System. Key areas of work could be Trade Facilitation, Aid for Trade, 
Services, and Accession.  
 
4. We call upon for a rapid ratification and implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. 
We urge members to continue to provide technical, financial and capacity building assistance to LLDCs, on a sustainable basis, for the effective implementation of the future Agreement. We also call upon the constructive cooperation of transit countries for the effective and early 
application of disciplines that contribute to reducing transit time and costs, simplifying 
procedures and enhancing certainty in trans-border trade. 
 
5. We emphasize the critical importance of Agriculture to the LLDCs economies. In this context, 
we attach importance to the continuation of the reform process in order to promote market access; reduction of distortive domestic support measures, especially in developed 
countries; the total elimination of all forms of export subsidies; and the promotion of fair 
rules for the cotton-sector will constitute an important tool for the promotion of economic activities and food security in developing countries.  
 
6. We reiterate our request that development assist ance provided in the context of the Aid for 
Trade initiative should consider the special needs and requirements of LLDCs. In that sense, we consider that future Aid for Trade work programmes should take into consideration the 
areas already targeted by the Vienna Progra mme of Action, emphasizing, among others, 
fundamental transit policy issues, infrastr ucture development and maintenance, and 
Regional Integration. 
 
7. We stress the importance of ensuring close cooperation in the fundamental trade and transit 
issues between the LLDCs and the transit countri es in line with the provisions of the WTO 
Agreements, including the Trade Facilitation Agreement. 
 
8. We call for enhanced partnerships between the LLDCs and the transit countries, in 
cooperation with UN Agencies, international and regional financial organizations as well as 
the private and innovative finance mechanisms wherever appropriate, in matters related to 
raising the trade efficiency of LLDCs through construction and improvement of multi-modal 
transport connectivity. 
 
9. We reiterate the necessity to mainstream the Vienna Programme of Action in the 
international, regional and national planning processes by ensuring adequate means commensurate with the development needs of the LLDCs. 
 
10. We reiterate that the principle of Special and Differential (S&D) treatment represents one of 
the cornerstones of the WTO Agreements. We belie ve that the reaffirmation of this principle 
should be an integral part of any package and of the work of the organization. Therefore, we 
call for the strengthening of the provisions that implement the principle in order to make it more precise, effective and operational. 
 
11. We also urge Members to take into account the special needs and problems caused by the 
geographical disadvantage of being landlocked that during the accession process of LLDCs to 
the WTO. As such, the accession process for LLD Cs should be further simplified and these 
countries should be provided with adequate technical and financial assistance.  
 12. We recognize the significant contribution to the strengthening of the multilateral trading 
system of the LLDCs that acceded under Articl e XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing 
the WTO. For a balanced outcome of trade liberalization negotiations, we stress the need to take into account the extensive commitments undertaken by the Article XII Members upon 
their accession to the WTO. 
 13. We welcome the recent accession of Kazakhstan to the WTO, which will be participating in 
the MC10 as a Member for the first time, as well as the completion of WTO accession 
negotiations of Afghanistan. WT/MIN(15)/24 
 
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  14. We call on and encourage all LLDCs to ratify the Multilateral Agreement for the 
Establishment of an International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries, in order to bring it into full operation for the benefit of all LLDC members. 
 
15. We express our sincere appreciation to the government of Kenya and its people for their 
warm hospitality and for hosting the 10
th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi successfully.  
 
 
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