. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/80 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6051) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   French 
 
  
BURKINA FASO 
 
Statement by HE Mr Benoît Ouattara
 
Minister of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Handicrafts  
   I should first of all like to express both my appr eciation and the gratitude of the delegation of 
Burkina Faso to the authorities and people of H ong Kong, China, for the warmth of the welcome 
extended to us and the pleasant surroundings for our work, which I hope will live up to everyone's full 
expectations.   It is no secret that since the last Ministerial Conference in Cancún, WTO Members have had a very full agenda of trade negotiations.  However, in spite of intense contacts, consultations and 
meetings, it was with a great many questions and even serious concerns that we arrived in Hong 
Kong. 
  All of the items on the agenda are of interest and concern to Burkina Faso.  I fervently hope 
that the negotiations conducted since our arrival in  Hong Kong will give rise to satisfactory solutions 
for all delegations, the concerns of whom are wide -ranging.  You will, however, easily understand my 
insistently referring back to the cotton issue. 
  Yesterday's discussion on cotton brought no glimpse of a light on the negotiating horizon.  There was no serious reaction to the modalities proposed by the cosponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on Cotton or the African Group, in particular the elimination of domestic support and the emergency 
support fund for the African cotton industry. 
 
 It is true that, since Cancún, the legitimate a nd fair claim for the elimination of all measures 
constituting departures from international trade rul es has been raised.  This claim has won the 
sympathy and support of Members, NGOs and the me dia, not only because is it fair and in accordance 
with international trade rules, but also and especia lly because it is a symbol of the WTO at the service 
of all Members, including the weakest. 
  Sympathy and verbal support are, however, not in themselves enough to allow people to feed, clothe, cure and care for and educate themselves, that  is to say, to live a decent life, in dignity.  
Action, more action and nothing but  action is what is required. 
 
 African cotton producers have the impression th at the cotton issue is not a major concern for 
their negotiating partners.  For this very reason they  are in attendance here, not merely to voice their 
distress, but also to reiterate their determination and urge the Conference to commit itself further in order to help them to resolve this problem.  
 The frame of reference for our work is the Ju ly 2004 package, which set a level of ambition 
involving the achievement of results acceptable to one and all.  WT/MIN(05)/ST/80 
Page 2  
 
  Our Conference is sovereign;  it can and must  find solutions of hope for the countries of the 
South if it is to avoid suffering continual setbacks, at the risk of discrediting the WTO and undermining the very foundations of its existence.   As far as Burkina Faso is concerned, a succes sful outcome to this Conference would involve 
the translation of the July 2004 Package into concrete action, that is to say, the adoption of a precise 
timetable for the implementation of the modalities of the African Group, namely:  
- Total elimination of export subsidies;  
- elimination of domestic support; 
 - creation of an emergency fund;  - mobilization of technical and financial assistance for the development of the cotton 
sector in Africa. 
  The social role of cotton farming is particul arly important and its impact on our countries' 
development is also indisputable;  it is thus in  keeping with the spirit of the Doha Development 
Agenda and a help in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  
 I firmly believe that concrete results can be ach ieved given that the current situation is not in 
the interests of developed countries, which subsidize cotton at the tax payers' expense, then sell it at a 
loss on the international market.   At this stage in the negotiations, I should like to express our gratitude to both Mr Tim Groser 
and Ambassador Falconer for the commitment and r esolve they have shown in the handling of the 
cotton issue.   Before concluding, I should once again like to convey my congratulations to Mr Pascal Lamy 
on his appointment as WTO Dir ector-General.  I also wish  to congratulate the Deputy 
Directors-General on their appointments.  I do, howe ver, want to encourage them to implement bold 
programmes such as JITAP to provide capacity-build ing for the weakest Members so as to enable 
them to participate to a high degree in the multilateral trading system.   Finally, I should like to welcome the two new WTO Members, Saudi Arabia and Tonga. 
 
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