WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/53 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6014) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:  French 
 
  
WEST AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION (WAEMU) 
 
Statement Circulated by the WAEMU Trade Ministers 
 
 
(As an Observer ) 
  
 We, 
 
 The Trade Ministers of the member States of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU),  
 Meeting on 13 December 2005 at Hong Kong, Chin a, for the purpose of examining together 
the latest proposals for a compromise text at the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference; 
 
 Recalling the provisions of WAEMU Treaty Articles 84 and 85 on the implementation of the WAEMU common trade policy;   Recalling Directive No. 02/2005/CM/UEMOA of 16 September 2005 on the common 
negotiating positions of the WAEMU member Stat es for the Sixth Ministerial Conference at 
Hong Kong, China;   Recalling the Declaration on the trade nego tiations that we adopted at Ouagadougou on 
3 June 2005;  
 Considering the current status of the Doha Round negotiations on numerous issues that have 
important implications for the developing countries and for the member States of the WAEMU in 
particular;   Considering that the cotton sector is strategi c and vital to economic development and poverty 
reduction in the WAEMU member States; 
  Noting the solidarity shown by the African Union, the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) and the least developed coun tries (LDCs) towards the Sectoral Initiative in 
Favour of Cotton; 
 
 Noting with regret the lack of significant progress on cotton in terms of the level of ambition stated by WTO Members on adopting the "July 2004 Package", and on many other sensitive issues such as agriculture, market ac cess for non-agricultural products, and special and differential 
treatment;  
 Desirous of ensuring that the interests of  the WAEMU member States' are effectively 
protected at the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference being held in Hong Kong from 13 to 18 December 2005; WT/MIN(05)/ST/53 
Page 2  
 
  
Adopt the following Declaration: 
 
1. We recognize the importance of the negotiati ons under way in the World Trade Organization 
on the various issues that form the core of di scussions at the Sixth Ministerial Conference at 
Hong Kong, China.  We insist, in this connection, that development issues remain the priority of the 
negotiations and that suitable solutions be found to the many concerns of the developing countries and 
of the least developed countries in particular.  
2. Agriculture 
 In view of the preponderant role played by  the agricultural sector in the economies of the 
WAEMU member States, we reaffirm that the negotia tions on agriculture must aim to establish a fair 
multilateral trading system and must attain the following objectives:  
- A substantial reduction in the levels of du ties applying to agricultural products, on the 
basis of a formula that safeguards the interests of the African countries; 
 - the reduction of tariff peaks applied to  agricultural products from developing 
countries; 
 - free access to developed country market s for all agricultural products from least 
developed countries, together with less restrictive rules of origin; 
 - a reduction in the tariff escalation applied to agricultural and agro-industrial products 
as a means of encouraging efforts by developing countries to process primary 
products; 
 
- a significant reduction in trade-distorting domestic support measures in agriculture;  - an increase in de minimis  levels for developing countries in order to give them greater 
scope for implementing support measures suited to their agriculture sectors; 
 
- critical review and elimination of the use of "Green Box" and "Blue Box" measures, 
in order to restrict abuse of such measures and to avoid "box shifting"; 
 - the elimination of all forms of export subsidies;  
- the adoption by WTO Members of a Special  Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) suited to 
the special needs and particular circumstances of developing countries, which is easily implemented and allows an effective response to increases in imports and declines in prices in developing countries; 
 - proper observance of the provisions of Ar ticle 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture 
establishing that commitments under reform  programmes shall take into account non-
trade considerations, including developmen t concerns, food security and environment 
protection; 
 - the adoption of clear modalities allowing th e designation of "sensitive products" and 
"special products" of particular interest to WAEMU member States; 
 - the creation of a "development box" with a view to promoting investment, research 
and technology transfer in agriculture; 
  WT/MIN(05)/ST/53 
 Page 3 
 
 
 - an evaluation of the effect given to the Marrakesh Decision, with regard to 
implementation of measures for support and for technical and financial assistance, together with mechanisms for introducing food aid in order to keep agricultural 
production profitable in the developing countries; 
 
- an assessment of the technical assistance provided to developing countries pursuant to 
Article 9 of the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and the negotiation of a "generalized precautionary provision", with a view to extending automatically to the developing countries the prohibitions established by the developed countries on sanitary and phytosanitary grounds on the production, 
marketing and use of certain products; 
 - observance of the decisions adopted by the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference of 
the WTO at Doha concerning the waivers granted for certain protocols including those on bananas and sugar. 
 
3. Cotton 
 We reassert the need, stated in the Framew ork Agreement of July 2004, to address cotton 
ambitiously, expeditiously and specifically  within the agriculture negotiations, in view of the vital 
importance of this product for developing countries and for several member States of the WAEMU in 
particular. 
 
 We believe that suitable solutions must be f ound as a matter of urgency in order to establish a 
specific timetable for the total elimination of a ll forms of export subsidies and domestic support to 
cotton production in countries that engage in such practice.  
 We stress that, for us, it is important that reform efforts undert aken by countries that subsidize 
their cotton producers should meet the concerns of the African cotton producing and net exporting 
countries.  We furthermore insist that specific measures be taken to improve access to developed 
country markets for our cotton and textile products.   We reiterate the request for transitional measures,  inter alia  through the creation of an 
Emergency Support Fund to serve as a safety net for African cotton producing countries that suffer 
revenue loss caused by deterioration of the terms of trade.   In this connection, we fully support the latest proposals made by the four sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative in Favour of Cotton (Benin, Bu rkina Faso, Chad and Mali), which reasserted the 
need to find suitable solu tions to the cotton issue , inter alia  through: 
 
- The total elimination of export subsidies by 31 December 2005;  - the reduction of domestic support by 80 per cent by 31 December 2006, a further 
10 per cent by 1 January 2008, and the remaining 10 per cent by 1 January 2009; 
 
- the formulation of disciplines for the prohi bition and supervision of the conversion of 
unauthorized support into authorized support; 
 - a considerable improvement in market access for cotton, with bound duty-free and 
quota-free access for cotton and cotton pro ducts exported by least developed 
countries; 
 - the establishment of a support fund to offset deficits caused by falling cotton prices on 
the international market; WT/MIN(05)/ST/53 
Page 4  
 
  
- the mobilization of technical and financ ial assistance for the development of the 
cotton sector in Africa. 
 
 In any event, we consider that a fair d ecision on the cotton issue will be a criterion in 
assessing the credibility of the WTO's multilateral trading system. 
 
4. Services 
 
 We recognize the importance of trade in services and the contribution it makes to the 
development and economic growth of  our countries in terms of job creation and the entry of foreign 
currency.  We undertake to endeavour to improve the efficiency of this sector so that it contributes 
more to making production in the Union more competitive.   In the current negotiations on services, we urge Members of the WTO to be open and to 
undertake ambitious commitments with a view to improving market access for developing countries, 
especially the least developed countries and increasing their share in global trade in services.  It is of particular importance to us that the develope d countries should progress and show openness with 
regard to Mode 4 concerning the tem porary movement of natural persons. 
  We believe that the developing countries, on the other hand, should not be expected to 
undertake new commitments that are incompatible with their development objectives and their 
institutional and administrative capacities.  
5. Market access for non-agricultural products 
  We have a particular interest in the ne gotiations on market access for non-agricultural 
products because of their impact on industrial production, customs revenue and the preference 
margins our countries enjoy in certain markets.   We insist that an agreement be reached  by WTO Members to allow bound duty-free and 
quota-free access for all products from least developed countries. 
 
 We stress that an agreement must be reached  as a matter of urgency on the modalities for the 
reduction of tariff peaks, tariff escalation and the elimination of non-tariff barriers.   We are deeply concerned, in this connection,  that some developed countries use standards, 
technical regulations and the precautionary principle for protectionist purposes. 
 
6. Special and differential treatment 
 
 Since most of the WAEMU member  States have LDC status, we continue to be in favour of 
maintaining the principal of special and differentia l treatment for developing countries and LDCs and 
we support all initiatives to strengthe n provisions on S&D treatment a nd to make them more precise, 
effective and operational.  We further demand effective and mandatory implementation of the 
commitments undertaken in this area by developed country Members of the WTO.  
7. The Singapore issues 
  We take note of the agreement reached by  the WTO Members at the General Council of 
July 2004 allowing negotiations to begin on trade facilitation.  We recognise that trade facilitation can 
enhance the transparency and rationalization of trade regulation and customs procedures.  We 
consider it important that sufficient resources be ma de available to support th e efforts of developing 
countries in financing the physical infrastructure they need to improve the movement of goods.  WT/MIN(05)/ST/53 
 Page 5 
 
 
  
 We continue to support the position of th e tripartite alliance – the Group of African, 
Caribbean and Pacific States, the African Union, and the least developed countries, - namely, to 
postpone launching negotiations on the three remaining issues (government procurement, 
competition, investment) and to ask the workin g groups concerned to pursue their work on 
clarification. 
 
8. Trade and environment 
 
 The WAEMU attaches great importance to environment protection as a factor of sustainable development in its member States.  However, we are opposed to the use of environmental measures 
for protectionist purposes.   We believe that when international standard s, directives/recommendations are established for 
environmental protection, a distinction should be drawn between mandatory international standards 
and voluntary international directives/recommendations. 
 
9. Trade related aspects of intellectual property 
 
 We consider that special attention must be pa id to the public health concerns of developing 
countries, including the possibility of more flexib ility, for those with no access to essential medicines 
or that lack sufficient production capacity, in importing such medicines manufactured under licence, 
with a view to controlling endemic diseases and HIV/AIDS.   We reassert the right of our countries to the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore. 
 Done at Hong Kong, China on 13 December 2005 For the Ministers (signed illegible) Mrs Massiyatou LATOUNDJI LAURIANO Minister of Industry, Trade and Employmen t Promotion of the Republic of Benin. 
 
 
_________