. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/32 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6590) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English/ 
 Spanish 
 
  
COSTA RICA 
 
Statement by H.E. Mrs Anabel González 
Minister for Foreign Trade 
   The WTO is the backbone of international trade.  Its rules and disciplines, its dispute settlement mechanism and its role in monitoring Members' compliance with the Agreements have 
been crucial to ensure the correct functioning of th e system.  They have contributed to increase trade 
flows and to keep protectionism at bay.  It is ther efore in the interest of all Members to strengthen the 
Organization and keep it up to date, so that it c ontinues fulfilling its important role while the world 
evolves.   In the last few years the WTO has faced difficu lties, particularly to conclude a Doha Round 
that is trapped between the political and ec onomic rebalancing currently taking place among 
developed and emerging economies.  This has not paralyzed the WTO as a whole, but it has halted 
one of its most important functions :  its legislative function, thus impairing its capacity to resolve 
some of the unfinished issues from the past and to address the major cha llenges of the future. 
 
 Trade is a very powerful engine of growth.  Gl obalized countries grow faster.  Discussions at 
the WTO, however, sometimes seem to suggest otherwise.  The nature and objectives of the Organization are often questioned in the name of "development".  We must stay on course. 
  The world is undoubtedly going through difficult times.  Economic crises, fragile growth, and 
unemployment do not provide the most conducive envi ronment to promote moving forward with the 
trade agenda.  But even under th ese circumstances we should stress that protectionism has been 
largely resisted during these times.  The Multilatera l Trading System has had much to do with this. 
  Even though progress at the multilateral level has stagnated, countries have continued to 
advance in trade liberalization through bilateral and regional agreements that seek to meet today's 
realities.  These agreements have contributed to pr omote interconnectedness of global trade and, as 
such, are an important complement to – but not a substitute for – the WTO.  National, regional and 
multilateral trade liberalization efforts should all be  part of strengthened global trade architecture. 
  The WTO must address pending issues.  The most important is, of course, the Doha Round.  
For this, we need to favour pragmatic approaches ;  advance in areas that are beneficial for all 
Members, such as trade facilitation, and explore new and more effective ways to make progress, 
including through a plurilateral approach.  WT/MIN(11)/ST/32 
Page 2  
 
   The WTO must also revise and update its work  programme.  It is important for the WTO to 
deeply analyse global value chains and their imp act, as well as to address issues as significant today 
as examining the implications of regional trade agreements.   In times of turmoil, the success of an organizati on lies in its ability to face its circumstances.  
In doing so, our individual and collective leadership will be decisive. 
 
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