WT/MIN(17)/ST/41  
 
13 December 2017  
(17-6926) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Eleventh Session  
Buenos Aires, 10 -13 December 2017  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR  TAONGA MUSHAYAVANHU  
AMBASS ADOR PERMANENT REPRE SENTATIVE TO THE WTO  
ZIMBABWE  
At the outset I would like to underscore the pre -eminence of rules based, fair and transparent 
Multilateral Trading System and  we pledge our support to make this a successful organisation.  
 
Now that we are working on a Ministerial D eclaration as the possible outcome document for MC11, 
we would like to emphasise  that thi s document should include the following language:  
 
 Acknowledging the WTO as a rules based, fair and equitable Multilateral Trading System that 
upholds the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, bottom up and a member driven 
process.  
 Reaffirmation of t he DDA, centrality of development and the SDT principles of this round of 
negotiations . 
 Continuation of work on the remaining DDA issues.  
 Reaffirmation of all previous Ministerial decisions.  
 
If we however, fail to agree on a declaration and we are forced to have the chair’s 
summary/statement as the outcome document, I wish to underscore that we should have the 
opportunity to input into this document so that our interests and views, which I outlined earlier, 
are well articulated in the text.  
 
Regarding subs tance I wish to underscore the following :  Zimbabwe is an agriculturally based 
economy and over 70% of our population lives in the rural areas and depend on agriculture. 
Agriculture contributes signific antly to our employment, GDP,  export earnings  and is a  source of 
livelihoods . In this regard, outcomes in all elements of agriculture are a priority for my delegation. 
We should work towards a meaningful outcome on e limination of agricultural trade distorting 
domestic subsidies.  
 
Members should adopt an appro ach that will substantially reduce the trade distorting support by 
major developed country subsidizers and in this regard, elimination of AMS should be the first 
stage to correct the imbalances in the Agreement on Agriculture.  
 
Furthermore, post MC11, the reform process should continue and ensure there are disciplines on 
the green box form of support which has been proved to be trade distorting. Our challenges as 
developing countries, regarding subsidy concentration should also be addressed post MC11 and 
article 6,2 and SDT for developing countries should be preserved.  
 
Regarding cotton, the draft decision by the C4 on elimination of trade distorting domestic subsidies 
should be adopted at MC11.  
 
Zimbabwe maintains a Public Stockholding Program to cushion it self against price volatility and 
effects of cl imate change and drought that the country  continue s to face and which has  resulted in 
periods of chronic food insecurity.  We therefore expect to have an outcome on  an effective and 
accessible Permanent S olution on Public Stockholding for Food Security P urposes  at MC11.  
 WT/MIN(17)/ST/41  
 
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  The deadline for a permanent solution on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes  (PSH)  is 
MC11. This permanent solution should have  no burdensome, onerous, ex -ante or conditional 
transp arency provisions.   
 
The permanent solution should not be linked to domestic support as this has a separate mandate 
and track. Furthermore it should cover existing and new programs as well as foodstuffs for all 
developing countries and LDCs.  
 
We also antic ipate having an outcome on an effective and easy to use Special Safeguard 
Mechanism  to protect farmers in developing countries against import surges and price declines,  
and there should be no linkages with the market access negotiations.  
 
Regarding develop ment, we are concerned and frustrated that in spite of much effort by the G90 
to justify the need for strengthening and making effective and operational SDT provisions, some 
members decided to disengage and we could therefore not reach consensus on the mat ter.  
 
We hope that members will engage constructively in order to have a positive outcome as this 
element represents development, one of the core principles of the WTO. This is also an element 
that will promote  industrialisation, diversification and integ ration of developing countries and LDCs 
into the Multilateral Trading system  and is also in line with the AU’s Agenda 2063, "The Africa We 
Want" . 
 
Regarding e -commerce, we re iterate that it is premature to have  rules on this  because of the large 
digital di vide. We should work towards bridging the digital, regulatory, capacity and knowledge  
gaps and continue our work under the mandate of the work program on e -commerce which is 
exploratory. Work on this has not yet been exhausted and the mandate is quite broad, 
comprehensive and covers developmental issues such as technology transfer and infrastructure 
development.  
 
We are not in support of any changes to the current structure of the e -commerce work program 
which is quite appropriate and is supported by su bsidiary bodies  that are technical,  and a 
dedicated session for cross cutting issues.  
 
Regarding Domestic Regulation there are still large divergences on systemic issues of mandates, 
scope and principles which cannot easily be resolved, even at MC11 and in  view of this, the matter 
should be dealt with post MC11. We reiterate our concerns that the current proposals impeach on 
our right to regulate and will diminish our policy space to develop. Furthermore, some of the 
proposals have burdensome transparency o bligations whilst some lack the negotiating mandate.  
 
Regarding new issues, we are not in support of any negotiations on MSMES, Investment 
Facilitation and E -Commerce as there is no mandate on this. In the case of Investment Facilitation, 
this is a Singapo re issue which, in line with paragraph 1g of the 2004 July package should not be 
discussed before the DDA is concluded. In line with paragraph 34 of the Nairobi Declaration, 
negotiations on new issues require consensus of the WTO membership.  
 
Lastly, I wis h to underscore that the DDA is very much alive; it can only be concluded by 
consensus. We therefore call upon all members to prioritise the remaining issues of the DDA  and 
my delegation is  ready to engage constructively for the success of this Ministerial  Conference and 
the Multilateral Trading System.  
 
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