WT/MIN(17)/53  
 
12 December 2017  
(17-6848) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
PRESIDENTIAL DECLARA TION  
OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ELEVENTH WTO MIN ISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
The following communication, dated 12 December 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and 
Uruguay . 
 
_______________  
 
 
The Governments of Argentina, Brazil,  Colombia, Chile, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname 
and Uruguay, meeting in Buenos Aires on 10 December 2017 on the occasion of the Eleventh 
Ministerial Conference (MC11) of the World Trade Organization (WTO),  
 
Agree that on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
Trade (GATT) in 1947, the objectives of improving people's standard of living, achieving full 
employment and increasing the production of and trade in goods and services remain every bit as 
relevant  while at the same time contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development 
Goals;  
 
Reaffirm that multilateralism is the best way to take advantage of the opportunities and to face the 
challenges of international trade. Consequently, they confir m the importance of preserving and 
strengthening the multilateral trading system, including its dispute settlement mechanism, in order 
to promote rules ‑based, open, transparent, inclusive, non ‑discriminatory and equitable trade 
embodied in the WTO, providi ng it with the tools it needs to face the challenges of the 21st 
century;  
 
Stress the importance of holding MC11 in the Argentine Republic, and thank the Argentine 
Government and people for hosting this international trade summit, while reaffirming their 
commitment to obtaining positive and substantive outcomes capable of bringing tangible benefits 
to the peoples of the region and of contributing to ensuring that the WTO continues to be at the 
heart of world trade governance;  
 
Undertake to coordinate action s in the WTO in order to pursue the process of reforming the rules 
of international trade in agricultural products, to work towards the prohibition of certain forms of 
fisheries subsidies, to make progress in domestic regulation in services, and to discuss  topics of 
increasing relevance to the trade agenda of the 21st century, including electronic commerce, 
micro, small and medium ‑sized enterprises (MSMEs), and investment facilitation;  
 
Welcome the entry into force, on 22 February 2017, of the WTO Trade Fac ilitation Agreement, 
which will facilitate trade flows globally and, in particular, at regional level, while helping to 
promote and enhance customs cooperation and the integration of our countries into regional and 
global value chains;  
 
Undertake to strengthen dialogue between the countries in the region, with a view to harmonizing 
the various initiatives that exist in Latin America, orienting them towards achieving results in 
terms of regional integration and increased participation in world trade;  
 WT/MIN(17)/53  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Draw particular attention to the work carried out jointly by the Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR in 
relation to the Roadmap agreed at the Ministerial meeting in April 2017;  
 
Underscore that, in the current international context of slow economic growth and te ntative global 
trade recovery, a joint effort is needed to consolidate the growth of the respective economies, to 
reduce inequality and to enhance public policies that promote gender equality and help to create 
decent and quality employment, coupled with e fforts to improve education, to build capacity to 
innovate and to benefit from new technology, and to work together to eradicate poverty and 
hunger, in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  
 
In light of the above ‑menti oned commitments, they invite other WTO Members wishing to join this 
Declaration to do so.  
 
 
__________