WT/MIN(15)/ST/107  
6 January 2016  
(16-0087)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR VAKHTANG JAOSHVILI 
AMBASSADOR TO ETHIOPIA, PERMANEN T REPRESENTATIVE TO THE AU 
GEORGIA  
On behalf of the Government of Georgia, it is an honor to participate in the 10th WTO Ministerial 
Conference here in Nairobi and to address such a distinguished audience. Let me thank 
Government of Kenya for warm welcome and generous hospitality.  
Georgia is a responsible member of the WTO committed to its values and principles. We are 
targeted at achieving maximum openness, transpar ency, regional and global integration of our 
economy. We strongly believe that private sector is a driving force for sustainable and broad-
based growth. In January next year, we are having Georgia’s second trade policy review, where 
Members will have an opportunity to review impl emented and planned trade policy reforms of my 
country. 
 
With a liberal foreign trade regime and customs procedures, low import tariffs, and minimum non-
tariff regulations, Georgia pursues strategy of e nhancing its role of a regional trade and transit 
hub. 
 
We strongly believe that minimizing trade barriers is an effective and efficient way for future development. In this regard, one of the outcomes of the Bali ministerial was adoption of the Trade 
Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which was the first Agreement that we all have managed to conclude 
collectively as WTO Members. Let me inform you, that my country has ratified the TFA in November 2015 and has notified recently the WTO. The Government of Georgia fully supports the 
general principles of the TFA setting out measures for the movement, release, and clearance of 
goods. We believe that this Agreement will contribute to improve transparency, increase 
possibilities to participate in global value chains and increase trade.  
While WTO provides opportunities for global integration, Georgia continues its integration with the 
regional markets. We have signed Association Agreement with the EU which includes Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement. We launched FTA negotiations with the EFTA and 
China. These new agreements together with the already existing free trade regimes with all the 
neighbors and other regional countries will enable goods produced in Georgia to have liberal access to the markets with approximately 2 billion consumers. Georgia being a party to several 
free trade agreements, strongly believes in the role of WTO ensuring transparency of RTAs. 
 Let me point out the importance of the expandin g the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), 
which already unites 54 WTO members representing major exporters of information technology 
(IT) products. For the purpose of developing the IT sector, Georgia considers joining expanded ITA 
is a major step forward for attracting further investment and moving up the value added ladder in IT industry. Therefore, currently the Government of Georgia is undergoing procedures for joining 
the ITA expansion. 
 Georgia attaches great importance to achievin g a successful and balanced conclusion of the 
current negotiations under WTO. We hope that we all can find a practical solution, which will 
contribute to the development of the global ec onomy and trade and increase the importance and 
role of this Organization. WT/MIN(15)/ST/107 
 
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  Finally, on behalf of the Government of Georgia, I would like to congratulate the two acceding 
LDCs, Liberia and Afghanistan, as well as Yemen, Seychelles, and Kazakhstan, on their joining to the WTO.  
The importance of the MC10 is instrumental and I wish this Ministerial fruitful and successful 
outcome.  
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