. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/52 
16 December 2011 
 (11-6597) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   French 
 
  
HAITI 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Wilson Laleau 
Minister of Trade and Industry 
 
  It is an honour for me to address this Confer ence on behalf of the people and government of 
Haiti.  Let me begin by congratulating H.E. Mr Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga for his election to the 
Chair of this Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference.  I would also like to thank the Swiss Confederation 
and the Canton of Geneva for their welcome and their hospitality.  And finally, I would like to 
congratulate the countries that have just co mpleted their accession process - Samoa, Vanuatu, 
Montenegro and the Russian Federation - and to welcome them to the WTO.   The delegation of Haiti associates itself with th e statements made by Bangladesh on behalf of 
the LDC Group, by Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of CARICOM, by Indonesia on behalf of the G33 
and by Mauritius on behalf of the ACP countries.   For my country, this Eighth Ministerial Confer ence is taking place in a particular context, as 
we struggle to recover from the adverse consequenc es of the earthquake of 12 January 2010.  The 
international community has been working tirelessl y to help us overcome the enormous challenges 
facing our country and our people.   I suspect that the international context is so mewhat special for the WTO as well, since the 
multidimensional international crisis (instability of financial markets, surge in the prices of raw 
materials and food) has had a significant impact on th e world economy.  As a result, there has been a 
tendency to resort to protectionism, which would be  harmful to the multilateral trading system.  Hence 
the importance of the WTO in guiding this system.   Haiti is deeply committed to a multilateral trading system based on clear, inclusive, 
transparent and predictable rules.  The Single Unde rtaking is one of the Organization's sacrosanct 
principles.  The WTO must make sure that in its work, inter alia  in the framework of the 
Doha Development Agenda, it does not lose sight of  this essential principle which is one of the 
corner-stones of this institution.   My country would like to see the Doha Round completed as quickly as possible:  after 
ten years of negotiations, the poorest Members are show ing signs of exhaustion.  The outcome of this 
Round must live up to the development pr omises made on behalf of the LDCs. 
  Haiti is convinced of the role of trade in promoting development, and appreciates the work 
done by the Committee on Trade and Development (C TD) in the framework of this Round.  It 
attaches particular importance to special and differe ntial treatment (S&D).  However, the provisions 
relating to S&D should be more opera tional and effective.  To that end the CTD, in Special Session, 
needs to complete its work on the S&D proposals as quickly as possible. WT/MIN(11)/ST/52 
Page 2  
 
  Haiti also endorses to the adoption of the Deci sion on Preferential Treatment to Services and 
Service Suppliers of Least Developed Countries, a nd hopes that this waiver will be extended to the 
movement of service providers under Mode 4.  It would like to see the transition period under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement extended in favour  of the LDCs, in the spirit of the decision of 
29 November 2005. 
 
 The WTO should be commended for its efforts to mobilize resources under Aid for Trade.  Significant progress has been made since the Hong K ong Ministerial Conference.  Haiti would like to 
ensure that this momentum is maintained in the coming years, and stresses the need to increase, on a 
sustainable and predictable basis, the resour ces available to the Me mbers most in need. 
 
 Haiti is grateful for the support received under Aid for Trade and hopes that donors will continue to support its efforts towards rebuilding th e country and strengthening its supply capacity.  In 
particular, it supports and welcomes the Enhanced In tegrated Framework initiative for LDCs.  Indeed, 
it is thoroughly convinced that this programme can act as an efficient tool in helping it to take full 
advantage of international trade. 
  Haiti welcomes the WTO's efforts to acquire a better understanding of the characteristics of 
regional trade agreements, and would like, at this st age already, to request flexibility and support from 
Members, in particular its main trading partners with initial negotiating rights, in the renegotiation of 
its schedule of concessions for trade in goods.  Success in this endeavour would enable Haiti to 
complete its effective integration in the CARICOM market. 
  Haiti renews its commitment to pursuing th e Doha Round negotiations, and hopes that the 
"development component" will remain at the heart of  those negotiations, as this would facilitate the 
integration of the LDCs, in particular, in the global economy. 
 
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