WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/29 
17 December 2011 
 (11-6654) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
THE ARAB MINISTERS/HEADS OF DELEGATIONS MEETING 
Geneva, 15 December 2011 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 15 December 2011, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group. 
 
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COMMUNIQUÉ 
 
 1. We, the Ministers and Heads of Delegations of the Arab Group, participated in a meeting in 
Geneva on 15 December 2011 on the occasion of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the 
World Trade Organization. 
2. We recognize  the importance of the multilateral trading system and of the WTO.  Both 
contribute to the establishment of a more ope n and dynamic economic and trade environment 
that has resulted in global economic growth.  In the present challenging times, it is essential 
that Members reaffirm their support for the ex isting framework and commit to continuing to 
observe the principles and rules that are its f oundations.  To reinforce the system and adapt it 
to the evolving environment, it is important for Members to commit to its improvement.  
Ministers must, for that purpose, agree on a cl ear and specific roadmap for the months and 
years to come to safeguard the effectiveness of the system for the benefit of the entire 
membership.  
3. We reaffirm our attachment to the development dimension of the multilateral trading system.  
The system must continue to serve the developm ent, particularly of those Members with the 
most fragile and smaller economies, and balan ced economic growth. Development must also 
be placed at the center of our reflection on the evolution of the system and our negotiations.  
Members must ensure that least developed Me mbers truly benefit from the liberalization of 
trade and can effectively enforce their rights and comply with their obligations. Rules must be 
adapted to the realities developing and least developed countries Members are confronted 
with. 
4. We deeply regret  the impasse at which the Doha Development Agenda is.  We recognize the 
differences of views of Members on substantive issues but also appreciate the significance of 
the work produced since the initiation of the ne gotiations. We remain confident that the DDA 
will deliver the promised and much-needed results for the global economy and remain 
committed to actively and constructively work ing on a mutually acceptable outcome.  WT/MIN(11)/29 
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  5. We attach  great importance to the level of ambition and scope of the DDA.  An ambitious 
and balanced outcome shall serve to addr ess our development needs, promote economic 
growth and contribute to the improvement a nd reinforcement of the multilateral trading 
system. In line with the mandate initially agreed  to, we remain committed to the conclusion of 
a single undertaking, that will benefit all Member s.  In the meantime, any early harvest on 
issues agreed to by consensus pursuant to paragraph 47 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration 
should concern development issues as a priority. 
6. We emphasize  the importance of Full Participation, Inclusiveness and Transparency (FIT).  
These principles must be strictly observed in all areas of the negotiations to ensure that their 
outcome reflects the interest of all Members.  
7. We are committed to collectively and individually seeking solutions and openly considering 
all options for the conclusions of the DDA.  We urge Members to further intensify their 
efforts and to agree to a specific work pr ogram.  The desire expressed by Members to 
complete the DDA must be translated into deed s to restore faith in the system and produce 
tangible results.   
8. We welcome the accession of Vanuatu and Samoa to the WTO and look forward to the 
impending accession of the Russian Federation this week, and of Montenegro.  Each 
successful accession advances the truly global nature of the trading system and of the WTO and results in actual benefits for all the memb ership.  We support the acceleration of pending 
accessions and negotiations on fair terms and ar e pleased with the unanimous recognition of 
the contribution of the accession to strengthening the multilateral trading system and the need 
for a commitment to facilitate accessions, in particular of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs), 
and welcome in this regard the decision to  be adopted with respect to the latter. 
9. We assert our continued and unwavering support for Pa lestine’s request for observer status in 
the General Council and its subsidiaries.  The gl obal nature of the trading system requires all 
Members to fairly and objectively consider such  requests.  We see a parallel between requests 
for accession and observer status as they are signs of the recognition of the WTO and of the 
system it promotes.  In order to better reinfo rce the legitimacy and inclusive nature of the 
WTO, we are of the view that requests for ob server status cannot be denied on the basis of 
political considerations. 
10. We regret  that the requests of the League of Arab States for observer status in the Ministerial 
Conference and in the General Council and its subsidiary bodies remain blocked, and call on 
all members to accede to this request as for similar requests from other regional 
intergovernmental organizations.  These request s are consistent with existing requirements 
and there is no technical or objective justifica tion for denying the League of Arab States, a 
recognized intergovernmental international orga nization that is predominantly composed of 
WTO Members, observer status. We reiterate our call for a fair and objective consideration of 
all requests for observer status. 
11. We affirm  the importance of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) and welcome the 
conclusions of the 4
th Appraisal of the TPRM.  Transparency is a key feature of the 
multilateral trading system and trade policy revi ews and other transparency provisions of the 
WTO Agreements assist Members in regularly reviewing and improving their trade policies and measures.  We welcome improvements to the TPRM that will further assist developing 
country Members in their reviews. 
12. We note that the Arabic language is the fifth most  spoken native language in the world.  The 
recognition of Arabic as a WTO working language  would facilitate the increased participation  WT/MIN(11)/29 
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  of governments of Arab States and would serve to promote awareness about the world trading 
system and the WTO in the Arab world.  We invite Members to consider making Arabic an official language of the WTO to contribute to  the reinforcement and development of the 
system. 
13. We underscore  the particular sensitivity of the avai lability and affordability of food for net 
food-importing countries.  We endorse the impl ementation of rules that accord special and 
differential treatment to net food-im porting developing countries and LDCs. 
14. We confirm  our trust in a rule-based multilateral trading system and in the WTO as its 
governing institution.  We reassert our collective intention to work with all Members for the 
reinforcement of the system to serve global economic development a nd to expand relations 
with trading partners to increase the mutual benefits of free trade.  
 
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