. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/75 
17 December 2011  
 
(11-6632) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   Spanish 
 
  
ECUADOR 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Francisco Rivadeneira 
Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Integration 
 
  Let me begin by congratulating the Russian Federation, Montenegro, Samoa and Vanuatu on 
their recent accession to our Organization. 
 
 Jumping straight to the point, I would like to st ate, indeed to stress, that for Ecuador it is of 
the utmost importance that we pursue the Doha Round and reach a successful conclusion.  Ecuador's 
interest and its development dime nsion revolve mainly around Agriculture and NAMA, two areas in 
which there is significant agreement after ten years of negotiations.  The current negotiations must be 
completed within a set period of time and in a ba lanced and equitable manner, without damaging the 
existing agreements or neglecting the need for e ffective special and differential treatment for the 
developing countries.   To attain this objective, it is essential that we establish a post-Eighth Ministerial Conference 
work programme based on the Single Undertaking,  with the needs and interests of developing 
countries as a core element.  We need to use th e negotiating texts and proposals submitted to date, 
including the reports of April 2011, and to proceed  with due respect for the principles of full 
participation, inclusiveness and transparency.  To ensure that these basic WT O principles are fully 
respected, Ecuador asks that any decision-making and/or negotiating process in the future should 
enable any Member that so wishes to participate dire ctly at all stages.  This has not always been the 
case in the past - for instance, it was not the case in the recent consensus-building process in relation 
to the document "Elements for Politi cal Guidance" adopted at the last General Council.  We invite 
anyone who wants further details on our views, as well those of other distinguished Members of this 
Organization, on this particular subject, to  review official document WTO/MIN(11)/W/4. 
  Reverting to the subject of the Doha Round, it should be stressed that failure to reach a 
conclusion would have a negative impact on a c onsiderable number of developing countries, 
including Ecuador.  In our case, even the tariff reduction on bananas in the EU market would be 
delayed for two years if we were not to conclude the negotiations by 2012. 
  In order to complete the negotiations, we need  assess and rethink the systemic aspects of the 
WTO, considering alternatives that would enable  us to continue building and strengthening the 
multilateral trading system by moving beyond the pure lib eralization approach to trade, giving priority 
to sustainable development, recognizing the variet y of alternatives and de velopment models, and in 
particular, providing sufficient policy space for the sm all, vulnerable developing countries to be able 
to implement their development policies. WT/MIN(11)/ST/75 
Page 2  
 
  At the same time, we need to consider the far-reaching and persistent uncertainty surrounding 
the international economy as well as the associated ri sks and dangers, particularly for the developing 
countries, which have been the most seriously affect ed.  Measures should be taken to ensure that in 
the face of this uncertainty and hi gh risk, the developing  countries are at all times in a position to 
safeguard their external balances eff ectively, using their "policy space". 
 
 Finally, there are urgent matters to be dealt with at the multilateral le vel, without jeopardizing 
the conclusion of the Doha Round.  These include:  the effective transfer of environmentally sound 
technologies to the developing countries and the cr eation of public policy spaces in the area of 
financial services to enable them to safeguard thei r external balances.  There are working groups on 
"Debt and Finance" and on "Transfer of Technolo gy ", two issues which are closely linked to the 
development dimension.  However, these groups must  be given a status that would enable discussions 
to be conducted at the highest level.  
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