. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/79 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6172) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
NORWAY 
 
Statement by HE Mr Jonas Gahr Støre
 
Minister for Foreign Affairs  
   Norway - my country - is a living example of how GATT and the WTO have been key guarantors of economic growth, development and prosperity. 
 
 Our challenge today is to make that opportunity and those benefits of trade available to all. 
  Our task as Governments is to seize the agenda and make the multilateral trading system contribute to decent work, welfare, sustainable de velopment and human progress.  Not for the few but 
for all. 
 
 Four years after the near success of Hong Kong, let us remind ourselves:  our first priority remains to conclude the Doha Development Agenda.  We are on overtime.  We have to succeed in 
2010.  
 We know what it will take:  political leadership and commitment;  willingness to compromise 
and seek a greater good,  combining ambition with r ealism.  Norway stands ready to do its part. 
  The backdrop of this ministerial meeting is challenging:  as always, as the world recovers 
from the financial crisis the poor in developing count ries are the most severely affected.  They do not 
have at their disposal the safety  nets or economic stimulus packages that countries such as mine can 
afford. 
  As a few of us were reminded of at the Ai d for Trade Session this morning, developing 
countries will rely on trade to pull themselves out of the crises.  We, the richer countries, must help 
them succeed, by enhancing the Aid-for-Trade re gime but, not least, to conclude the DDA swiftly. 
 
 An ambitious and balanced conc lusion can only be reached if we respect the original Doha 
mandate.  That means a clear focus on the interest s of developing and, in particular, the least 
developed Members across the board.  
 In addition to concluding the key chapters, we  also need to focus on issues of particular 
interest to developing countries, such as the im plementation of duty and quota-free market access for 
LDCs, preference erosion, cotton, TRIPS CBD, transfer of technology, technical assistance and capacity building.   Considerable progress has been achieved.  We  must avoid selective reopening of stabilized 
areas which would lead to an unr avelling of the total package. 
 WT/MIN(09)/ST/79 
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   But as we all know, a number of important issues must be solved before we can claim victory. 
  For Norway's part, the most essential outstandi ng issues are related to Sensitive Products in 
Agriculture.  We are prepared to go the last mile on the basis of the progress made to date. 
 
 Let me conclude by expressing support for the id ea to arrange a stock-taking early next year - 
and then Ministers should stand ready to do their part.   Looking beyond the conclusion of the Doha Round, we see on the horizon a number of key 
issues that should be dealt with in succeeding rounds. 
 
 One is the combined effects of climate change and the food crisis, underlining the importance 
of food security.   We now prepare for Copenhagen.  We must see to it that the multilateral trading system and 
agreements on climate change rema in mutually supportive.  Only then will international trade policy 
and liberalization of trade in climate-related goods and services be part of the solution to this global 
challenge.   Also looking ahead, we need to address the social dimension and put decent work on our 
agenda.  Norway supports the idea, backed by la bour unions, to promote coherence between what is 
done in the WTO and what is done at the ILO.  No rway is prepared to a pproach these issues in the 
transparent, patient and open-minded way that characterizes the work of the WTO. 
  But first - and as our priority - we need to urgently conclude the DDA. 
 
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