WT/MIN(15)/ST/71
21 December 2015
(15-6791)  Page: 1/1
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English
 
STATEMENT BY HON. MENE SOOALO 
ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND LABOUR 
SAMOA 
I must first congratulate the people of Kenya for being such gracious hosts; for the warm welcome 
and hospitality during our stay here in your beautiful city of Nairobi. We have travelled far from Samoa over 2 days, a well worth journey to be present here at this 10th Ministerial Conference and celebrating 20 years since the establishment of the WTO. 
 
I thank you; and the Director General of the WTO, Mr Roberto Azevedo; for your tireless efforts, commitment and dedication to ensure a successf ul and meaningful outcome for the Nairobi 
Conference. 
 From a small island economy in the Pacific, our message is simple. Samoa supports the 
multilateral trading system that recognizes the special circumstances of, and accord differential 
treatment for Small Island Developing States, Developing Countries; Small and Vulnerable Economies; and Least Developed Countries.    
Samoa acceded to the WTO in May 2012. In less than 2 years, Samoa graduated from LDC status 
in January 2014. Samoa is a country in transition. We remain challenged to engage in international trade and integrate into the multilateral trading system. As a beneficiary of the EIF, Samoa has 
produced tangible results including the strengthening of its trade policy and institutional 
framework. The EIF is essentially the cornerst one of the implementation of Samoa’s Trade, 
Commerce and Manufacturing Sector Plan; and the Trade Sector Support Programme. A number of 
activities have been implemented. Many more are in the pipeline. It is therefore important that 
Samoa continues to benefit from the EIF to continue to build on Phase 1 successes; and to ensure the full implementation and sustainability of all projects under the Sector Plan. 
 
I urge the development partners to continue to support Aid for Trade, a global program providing 
key assistance for Samoa.  
Samoa, with other Pacific Island countries supports the importance of continuing negotiations in 
the DDA to deliver meaningful development outcomes. The development dimension of the multilateral trade system should include appropriat e and effective flexibilities in core areas of our 
interests in Agriculture, Services and NAMA.  
 Surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean, fisheries is an integral part of our way of life!  Fisheries provide food and livelihoods for our communities and the sustainable management of our fisheries 
resources is of utmost importance. Samoa does not support destructive and harmful subsidies that 
will contradict our work in food security; and efforts to fulfil the recently adopted 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, to eliminate harmful subsidies on fisheries by 2020.    
 
The impacts of climate change on our islands are real.  We are pleased that the SIDS challenges and priorities captured in the SAMOA Pathway are part of the Sustainable Development Goals, 
including the Means of Implementation.  We are en couraged with the outcomes of the recent Paris 
Agreement, and excited about positive outcomes from Nairobi.    
__________