. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/17 
2 December 2009 
 
 (09-6134) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:  English 
 
 
 
STATEMENT BY THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY TO THE 7TH WTO MINISTERIAL 
CONFERENCE 
 
Geneva, November 30 – December 2, 2009  
   This 7
th WTO Ministerial Conference offers an opportunity to reaffirm our collective 
commitment to a trading system that brings real  benefits to all WTO Members through a genuinely 
inclusive, transparent and multilateral process.  In th is context, there are a number of issues that the 
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would wish to highlight.  
 First, CARICOM is exceedingly distressed by a ttempts to recalibrate the mandate of the Doha 
Development Round.  Our participation in the Roun d has always been predicated on the rebalancing 
of the multilateral trading system in a manner th at promotes the sustainable development of 
developing countries.  We therefore call on all WT O Members to reaffirm the centrality of trade 
provisions that are supportive of our development aspirations in the multilateral trading system. 
 Second, the CARICOM WTO Members, as Sma ll Vulnerable Economies, wish to emphasize 
the importance we place on accelerating the full implementation of the Small Economies' Work Programme.  This constitutes a de velopment benchmark in assessing the true value of the DDA.  
While considerable progress has been made, let us  redouble our efforts at marshalling the political 
will and technical acumen required to comple te the Small Economies' Work Programme. 
 Third, CARICOM supports the work and objec tives of the G33 on Special Products and the 
Special Safeguard Mechanism.  This mechanism must be simple , operational, effective and non-
burdensome and offer enhanced flexibilities for SVEs .  We are however concerned at the lack of 
progress in completing the negotiations on the SSM.  Th e adoption of such an SSM remains pivotal to 
the cardinal pursuits of food security, promotion of  rural development and poverty alleviation.  
 Fourth, we support entrusting the WTO with th e role of mobilizing additional Aid for Trade 
resources and monitoring its impact on our economies.  It has been established that Small Vulnerable 
Economies can take advantage of trade openings onl y when these are complemented by a sustained 
programme of trade capacity building measures.  The fast–tracking of AfT support programmes in 
CARICOM States assumes even greater importance in  light of the loss of long-standing preferences 
on major agricultural commodities.  CARICOM is deserving of receiving a fair share of AfT 
resources. 
 Fifth, the imminent conclusion of the WTO dispute on EU MFN tariffs on bananas constitutes 
yet another serious Caribbean concern.  The resolu tion of this long-standing trade dispute will result 
in the decline of a major CARICOM export.  More over, the banana dispute reaffirms the Caribbean 
conviction that particular emphasis should be pl aced on carving out additional opportunities for these 
small, vulnerable, preference-dependent Members.  Furthermore, we reiterate our position that the 
outcome on bananas cannot be divorced from the treatme nt of other preference erosion products.  We WT/MIN(09)/17 
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will therefore not accept any attempt to alter the alrea dy agreed package, in particular those provisions 
related to major CARICOM export pr oducts, such as rum and sugar.  
 CARICOM fully supports the ACP Ministeria l Declaration which comprehensively captures 
our position on the various concer ns that we have highlighted. 
 CARICOM has been hit disproportionately by the global economic and financial crisis.  Our 
policy options in response to this crisis are severel y constrained by the high level of indebtedness of 
our economies thereby limiting our ability to apply ad equate national fiscal stimulus programmes.  
CARICOM recognizes that while the crisis has not generated the rampant protectionism of the 1930s, 
it remains most concerned with a number of recent developments.  
 We are worried that there is insufficient appreciation of the needs of the Caribbean 
Community resulting from this crisis.  We remain concerned that the pledged resources have not yet 
become available.  What we have seen instead is  action being pursued that further exacerbates our 
situation.  These include threats to offshore fi nance centres and the imposition of a discriminatory 
Airport Departure Tax by a major source of tourism arrivals.  We remain committed to working with 
other Members of the WTO to ensure that the organization assists with the recovery of the global 
economy.  
 In conclusion, CARICOM fully supports the early conclusion of the DDA with explicit 
development-oriented trade measures.  CARICOM al so strongly associates itself with the declaration 
of the Informal Group of Developing Countries, no tably on the general process of WTO Accession by 
developing countries.  Further, we reiterate our  unwavering support for the speedy accession to the 
WTO of one of our members - The Bahamas. 
 
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