. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/136 
3 February 2010 
 (10-0587) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
YEMEN 
 
Statement H.E. Dr. Yahya Y. Al-Mutawakel
 
Minister of Industry and Trade  
(Speaking as an Observer) 
 
  On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Yemen, I would like to extend my sincere 
appreciation to the Swiss authorities and the orga nizing committee for the excellent arrangements, 
hospitality, and friendly reception.  Geneva, as we al l would agree, is an excellent setting for such a 
long over due WTO Ministerial Conference.    I would like also to congratulate H.E. Andres Velasco  for his election as Chairman of the 
WTO Seventh Ministerial Conference as well as his Honourable Deputies, whom I believe shall lead 
this meeting to a very successful conclusion.  I equally would like to congratulate the Director-
General, the WTO Secretariat, and the General Council Chairman for their tireless effort and 
dedication throughout the process of Conference prepar ation that led to the materialization of this 
meeting as planned.   
 The Seventh WTO Ministerial Conference comes at a crucial juncture, as the world has 
witnessed several calamities since the Sixth Minist erial in Hong Kong. First was the food crisis, 
which added to the poverty level in my country. Th en came the large increase and later sharp drop in 
oil prices, which Yemen is dependent on as a prim e source of export earnings. Last but not least, the 
financial crisis that resulted, inter alia , in lost of expatriates’ re mittances coupled with reduced 
external financial assistance. Yemen has negativ ely effected throughout those predicaments. 
 
 The expectation has always been and still calls  for a proactive international trade contribution 
to assist in solving world economic problems. Despite  the fact that DDA  negotiations on many issues 
have made substantial progress, fe w but rather difficult issues still need stronger political will to make 
the necessary progress to reach the conclusion of th is trade round, as envisaged in 2010. Concluding 
the DDA negotiations would deliver the needed c ontribution to economic recovery and hopefully 
share the benefits of globalization, of which Yeme n and other LDCs continue  to be marginalised. 
  My delegation would like to associate itself w ith the statement delivered by Honourable 
Minister Dr. Mary Nagu, Minister for Industry, Trade and Marketing of the United Republic of 
Tanzania, on behalf of LDC Group. Yemen equally ec ho the call for an early harvest in areas where 
consensus has been achieved on LDCs  issues, as mandated in the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration 
and subsequent negotiations. More recently, LDC Trad e Ministers in Dar es Salaam took stock of all 
LDCs priorities and concerns, whic h were contained in Dar es Sala am Declaration. Yemen, as other 
LDCs, is looking forward to an immediate settle ment of all issues of interest to LDCs.  
 
 One prime issue of serious concern to one-thi rd LDCs is the persistent onerous of WTO 
accession process.  Despite the fact that the Decision on LDCs Accession, or Guidelines, was adopted WT/MIN(09)/ST/136 
Page 2  
 
  by the General Council in 2002, pursuant to Minister s commitment at Doha to facilitate and accelerate 
LDCs, and the same was emphasized in Hong Kong,  only three LDCs successfully concluded their 
negotiations to become WTO members. Twelve LDCs are currently conducting their respective 
accession processes, including Yemen, representing mo re than 40% of ongoing accession to WTO.  
 
 LDCs had, on many occasions, reiterated th e call for the faithful implementation of the 
Guidelines in letter and spirit and urges for the adoption of an effective mechanism for LDCs 
accession process, within the framework of the prin ciple of special and differential treatment and 
LDCs accession guidelines. On this note, Yemen welcomes the Dialogue with acceding LDCs, which 
was held in May this year, as an opening step  towards streamlining LDCs accession process, as 
mandated by Trade Ministers in Doha Ministerial Conference. We remain hopeful that the next 
dialogue early next year, as agreed during the Sub-Committee on LDCs meeting on 5
th November, 
would be more productive and comprehensive, with a view to  yield specific results and truly meet 
Ministers’ expectations.   
 As WTO Members may recall, Yemen has a pplied for WTO membership in 2000 and six 
working party meetings had been convened so far, the most recent was on 3
rd July 2009. Currently, we 
are preparing for the Seventh meeting in early next year. Given this lengthy and multifaceted process, full understanding of WTO Members during such nego tiations is very decisive, and Yemen is looking 
forward for such valuable support. In particular, we seek our negotiating  pa rtners’ understanding of 
Yemen’s special needs and circumstances, and hope to  see this considerate stand reflected during our 
bilateral and multilateral negotiations  in the few coming closing mont hs, as Yemen plans to conclude 
its accession process in 2010.   
  Yemen Government is seriously seeking full inte gration into the multilateral trading system 
and global economy, through the process of accession to WTO. But, membership in WTO is only an 
initial step, in the right direction. However, such small but rather difficult step requires the indulgent 
and support of all WTO Members. On this occasion, I would like to thank Yemen development partners for their sustained support to Yemen’s endeavour to integrate into regional and global 
economy.     My delegation would like to register its fu ll appreciation of the Enhanced Integrated 
Framework Programme, which Yemen was one of the first two LDCs to benefit from Tier 1 facility. 
We equally hope that  mo re funds would be dedicated  and delivered in order to  effectively  implement 
the DTIS Action Plans for participating LDCs, in cluding Yemen.  Moreover, Yemen and LDCs are 
counting on Aid for Trade programme to deliver th e significant mass assistance needed to overcome 
the many challenges LDCs encounter to meet devel opment needs and facilitate diversification of their 
respective economies.  
  Meantime, my delegation associates with th e Arab Group call to introduce the Arabic 
language as one of WTO working languages, so that to  effectively engage that part of the world in 
WTO activities. Equally, we call on WTO Members to facilitate Arab acceding countries, in line with 
their respective development status. 
 
 Finally, I sincerely wish this Ministerial C onference the success it deserves, and hope it will 
come up with the indispensable guidance to addres s major WTO issues, including the universality of 
the organization through proper accession process, pa rticularly delivering on the undertaking to 
facilitate and accelerate LDCs accession. Equally, I hope that all LDCs concerns would be fully 
addressed so that to enhance their full integra tion in the multilateral trading system and global 
economy, Yemen included.   
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