WT/MIN(17)/ST/47  
 
13 December 2017  
(17-6932) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY HON. JOHN BRADLY FEL IX 
MINISTER FOR COMMERC E, INTERNATIONAL TRA DE,  
ENTERPRISE DEVELOPME NT, INVESTMENT AND C ONSUMER AFFAIRS  
SAINT LUCIA 
Saint Lucia is very pleased to be here in Buenos Aires at the first World Trade Organization 
Ministerial Conference to be held in South America.  
 
Let me begin by first congratulating you on your assumption of the chairmanship of this the 
11th Ministerial Conference of the WTO and through y ou express my profound gratitude and 
appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic of Argentina for their warm hospitality 
as host of this 11th session of the Ministerial Conference.  
 
We are gathered here at a critical juncture in the history o f the WTO of which we are a founding 
member. The state of play on the various negotiating subjects on which we have failed to achieve 
consensus is of great concern to my country as a small vulnerable economy, which aspires through 
the WTO and multilateral negotiating process to secure agreed rules and disciplines on trade 
matters which are important to our development interests.  
 
Beyond its challenges with negotiations, the multilateral trading system is also confronted with 
rising sentiments especially am ong citizens of some advanced economies against economic 
globalisation and integration. These sentiments which some interpret as a backlash against 
multilateralism are being amplified in the political arena leading to a resurgence of nationalism and 
calls for disintegration and withdrawal from regional and multilateral agreements. Saint Lucia 
however believes that in the face of these challenges what is needed is not despair or retreat but 
to re-affirm and strengthen our commitment to multilateralism and th e pivotal role of the WTO in 
our global governance framework and architecture.  
 
We therefore takes this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the WTO and the rules based 
system as we believe it is the best available approach to ensure transparency, le gal certainty and 
predictability in the conduct of international trade.  
 
As a small open economy, we believe there is a compelling nexus between trade and economic 
development. Hence a rules -based trade environment that takes account of the diversity of th e 
membership with respect to their stage of development and capacity to engage in international 
trade, is of great importance to us.  
 
The Marrakesh Agreement in its preamble underscores the centrality of development in the 
multilateral process and mandate s us to ensure that developing countries such as Saint Lucia 
secures a share of world trade commensurate with their economic development needs. Against 
this backdrop, completing the Doha Development Agenda would enhance the capacity of small 
states to real ize the intent and objectives of the WTO as a force for good in the world.  
 
Moreover, given the variable geometry among members, the Special and Differential Treatment 
(S&DT) proposals as was presented by the G90 Group and presented in Nairobi are critical to 
enhancing the capacity of SVEs like Saint Lucia, to implement and benefit from WTO Agreements, 
as well as discharge obligations to members. As such Special and Differe ntial Treatment must be a 
part of the outcome of this Conference and remain a key principle and an essential element of 
future WTO Agreements.  WT/MIN(17)/ST/47  
 
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  This year, many small and vulnerable economies in the Caribbean, in particular our neighbouring 
territories of Dominica and Barbuda, suffered massive devastation and absolute destruction of 
critical infrastructure from two unprecedented hurricanes [Irma and  Maria]. The entire island of 
Barbuda was declared unfit for habitation while the post hurricane impact assessment has 
measured Dominica’s loss to be over 200% of GDP.  
 
These catastrophic weather events with which we are faced on an annual basis as a resu lt of our 
geography, present a perpetual existential threat to our economy and our capacity to trade.   
 
Given this reality, I believe the time has come for a systemic response from the WTO to assist 
members affected with such shocks and force majeure even ts through a special dispensation and 
accommodation in the rules, to allow them policy space and th e full flexibility of the multilateral 
trading system  to reconstruct and to recover without contravention of their existing obligations. 
With this in mind Sa int Lucia supports the SVE Declaration to this Conference as a workable guide 
in this regard.  
 
Notwithstanding the inconclusive nature of negotiations on the slate of the various thematic 
subject areas on which we have engaged over the last two years, Sain t Lucia re -affirms its support 
for multilateralism as the best option for small states and supports a mandate from this 
Conference for continuation of the work on Fisheries Subsidies given our commitments to the 
Sustainable Development Goals as well as the  work programme on small states; micro, small and 
medium enterprises (MSMEs); as well as the establishment of a working group e -commerce.  
 
In closing , Saint Lucia remains committed to working with all members to ensure a positive 
outcome to this conference  and to help create a multilateral trading system that is responsive, 
inclusive and addresses the development imperatives and challenges of small, vulnerable 
economies such as Saint Lucia.  
 
I urge all members to work together to find the political will to make this a reality.  
 
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