WT/MIN(15)/ST/51  
18 December 2015  
(15-6778)  Page: 1/2  
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English  
 
 STATEMENT BY H.E. MS ZORICA MARIC DJORDJEVIC 
AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE WTO 
MONTENEGRO  
On behalf of the Government of Montenegro, I would first like to warmly thank our hosts, the 
Government of Kenya, for their hard work in organizing MC10. I would also like to use this opportunity to extend Montenegro's welcome to all new Members of the WTO. Since our last Ministerial Meeting in Bali in December 2013, Yemen, Seychelles, and Kazakhstan have joined the 
organization, and Liberia's accession package was approved. At this Ministerial, we will also 
celebrate the approval of Islamic Republic of Af ghanistan's accession package.  And, Montenegro 
looks forward to also welcoming, as soon as possible, our close regional partners, Serbia and 
Bosnia-Herzegovina, as full members of the WTO family. 
 Montenegro believes that these accessions show  the continued relevance of the WTO and that 
each new Member contributes to the strengthening of  the multilateral trading system. As of today, 
20 years after its creation, the WTO already numbers 162 Members – something of which we can all be proud.  
Montenegro, itself a relatively recent WTO Me mber, fulfils its membership commitments and 
obligations with great seriousness and dedication. We believe in the WTO as the central place for negotiating market opening and trade rules and have been actively involved in the ongoing efforts 
to design a meaningful and balanced Nairobi pa ckage. Montenegro is working hard on and is 
looking forward to joining the ranks of WTO Members who have formally ratified and accepted the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The entry into fo rce of the TFA will have a great impact on 
development and economic growth. For small countries like Montenegro, which rely on an open 
trading system, this agreement is an important engine for economic growth.  Apart from implementing its obligations under the core multilateral WTO Agreements, Montenegro 
is actively engaged in work relating to current and possible future plurilateral Agreements under 
the WTO umbrella. These Agreements have also de livered positive outcomes for Montenegro and 
the WTO.  
 
Earlier this year, on 15 June, we had a pleasure  of handing over to Director-General Azevêdo 
Montenegro's instrument of accession to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA).  
This followed the successful conclusion of negotiations relating to Montenegro's accession to the 
GPA in 2014.  We hope and believe that our accession to the Agreement will be taken as a sign of the importance that Montenegro attaches to good  governance in the public procurement sector, 
and of the alignment of our institutions with best practices internationally. 
 
Believing in the economic benefits of market liberalization, Montenegro has also participated actively in the negotiations on the expansion of  the ITA agreement. We recognize the importance 
of this Agreement and strive to put our country on the radar as an IT business-friendly and 
conducive environment. The agreement that we ha ve reached and finalized on the expansion of 
the ITA here in Nairobi is a major achievement for the participating economies, for the WTO as an 
organization, and for the multilateral trading system.  
 Finally, the technical assistance provided by the WTO Secretariat has been crucial in supporting Montenegro in its efforts to contribute to this organization as an active and constructive WTO 
Member. I am, particularly, grateful for the support received from the TFA Facility and the WT/MIN(15)/ST/51 
 
- 2 - 
 
  Secretariat's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation in regard to our future 
implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agr eement and progressive training to enhance our 
administrative capacities. Overall, such assistance is crucial to ensuring that Montenegro and other new WTO Members can fully reap the benefits of participating in the WTO through market opening 
and internal reform.  
 B e f o r e  c l o s i n g ,  I  a f f i r m  m y  c o u n t r y ' s  f u l l  c o m m i t m e n t  t o  t h e  multilateral trading system   to 
continue to advance the liberalization of world trade and strengthen its rule book in ways that are 
relevant and responsive to the needs of all Memb ers of the Organization, having in mind recent 
market access commitments. We are open to new ideas and fresh approaches that affirm and respect the centrality of the WTO as the guardi an of the system. Montenegro remains committed 
to contribute constructively to a full success of the Tenth Ministerial conference. 
 
__________