WT/MIN(17)/ST/60  
15 December  2017 
(17-6992) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original:  French  
 
  
STATEMENT BY H.E.  MR OMAR BEHI  
MINISTER OF TRADE  
TUNISIA  
More than 30 years ago, the Uruguay Round was launched in this part of the world, enabling the 
subsequent World Trade Organization and multilateral trading system to strengthen the rules laid 
down under the GATT, incorporating major sectors of the economy in order to meet the aspirations 
of most countries.  
Today, the WTO is a fundamental pillar and guarantor of the stability of the global economic order . 
Preserving and strengthening the WTO are a challenge as well as  a responsibility incumbent on all 
Member s to maintain an open and rules -based multilateral trading system.  
The system is destined to improve and needs to evolve to ensure that the benefits of trade 
liberalization are secured for all . It should provide increased  support for the developing countri es 
in their domestic efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, further  the 
expansion of global trade and growth, and hence foster world peace and security.  
Tunisia has undertaken major reform efforts under its 2016 -2020 development plan ai med at 
bolstering the economy and enhancing growth prospects.  
Tunisia hopes that reform of the rules of the multilateral trading system will underpin its efforts  at 
domestic level . We under score  the need for the WTO to continue eliminating barriers to market 
access for small  developing countries in particular, so as to make trade work as an engine of 
growth and development . 
Agriculture and develop ment should be addressed as a matter of priority . The excessive  
inequalities that impede the developing countries from increasing their participation in agricultural 
trade require  the elimination of distortions so as to ensure greater equity in the rules of the 
Agreement on Agriculture and provide better  market access for these countries.  
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate Tunisia's pragmatic and realistic request that 
agricultural tariffs be simplified, which would lead to clearer, more transparent and predictable 
market access conditions,  and would  help to drive agricultural development and food insecurity 
reduction programmes forward.  
The adoption of a permanent solution for food security  is one of the issues that should be resolved 
during this Conference , setting an example of rules that allow sufficient space  for development 
policies . 
The time has come for the development dimension to take centre stage again with more effective 
special and differential treatment provisions.  
The post -Buenos Aires work programme should thus firmly addr ess all these issues. 
Tunisia is ready to engage , including  on any matter that offers  the country genuine opportunities 
to develop  production sectors and has reached a sufficient level of maturity in  the discussion s. WT/MIN(17)/ST/60  
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  We welcome the progress achieved  as regard s the elimination of subsidies that contribute to 
overcapacity and overfishing , and seek similar advances on the other issues.  
We also call on the entire WTO Membership to facilitate and accelerate the accession process for 
all acceding countries so as to increase the universality of the system.  
As Winston Churchill was known  to say, " Democracy is the worst  form of government, except for 
all the others" . Albeit not perfect, the WTO enables  the multilateral trading system to operate.  
Before concluding,  I would like to recall  that the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize was appropriately 
awarded to Tunisia as a result of the compromise achieved between two initially opposing parties, 
thanks to dialogue, consensus and awareness of the vital issues at stake for all concerned.  
This is the spirit that should imbue  the proceedings of this Conference and the work of the WTO in 
general if we truly want to strengthen  multilateralism and international cooperation.  
 
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