. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/110 
16 December 2011 
 (11-6861) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   Spanish 
 
  
REPUBLIC OF CUBA 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Rodolfo Reyes Rodríguez 
Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba 
Head of Delegation 
  
Cuba would like extend the warmest of welcom es to Vanuatu, Samoa, Montenegro and the 
Russian Federation.  We are linked to Russia thr ough very strong trade ties, which have developed 
over five decades.  Cuba reaffirms that a country 's accession to the WTO cannot continue to be an 
opportunity for the industrialized economies to im pose trade policies and regulations on acceding 
countries which interfere with the economic and so cial development objectives of these sovereign 
states.  
 We have been not been successful in impl ementing the Doha Round development objectives.  
The selfishness and inequality intrinsic to capitalism – especially when neoliberal concepts prevail in 
an asymmetrical world – are the true causes of th e impasse that is undermining our negotiations.  
There is no magic formula or innovative approach that can overcome the lack of political will to 
address the just demands of the developing countries. 
 
 Cuba does not view the Eighth Ministerial Conference with the optimism that should pervade an event of this magnitude.  The document on po litical guidance that will be submitted for approval 
by the Ministers is not, and I repeat, not, based on a true consensus.  It was negotiated by a small 
group of Members, to the obvious detriment of the pr inciples of full participation, transparency and 
inclusiveness – in short, to the detriment of the multilateralism that we aspire to.  Cuba, along with 
four other countries, officially stated and explaine d its decision to disassociate itself with the content 
of this document.  Cuba asks that its position be cl early reflected in the Chai rman's statement, which 
will be the final document of our meeting.   This deplorable scenario does not inspire the c onfidence that is needed for us to continue our 
work.  Cuba will not be flexible if  such a way of proceeding is repeat ed during future negotiations or 
at any point in the Organization's work.  We cannot be responsible for contributing to the discredit of 
the multilateral trading system, and we appeal once again to all Members to show political will and 
solidarity in making a commitment to continue work ing in a truly multilateral framework with a view 
to fully implementing the Doha Agenda. 
 
 The international community is facing increasi ngly complex challenges.  Instead of pursuing 
the "weak and unequal" global economic recovery achi eved in 2010, the world is now "teetering on 
the brink of a serious crisis" and global gross domestic product is expected to fall in 2012. 
  The gravity and peculiarities of the global econom ic crisis demonstrate that the extreme trade 
liberalization and deregulation advocated by neolib eralism are not the way to ensure present and 
future human wellbeing and progress.  At this criti cal juncture, the developing economies are affected WT/MIN(11)/ST/110 
Page 2  
 
  the most because they also have to overcome th e obstacles generated by the protectionism of the 
industrialized countries.   Financial stimulus packages, trade-distor ting export subsidies and domestic production 
incentives that hinder international trade, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical 
barriers that constitute disguised restrictions on trade violate the WTO rules and have a negative 
impact on the developing countries' exports.  The pro liferation of such measures prevents the smallest 
countries from gaining access to the markets, as they do not have the resources to meet the high costs 
and demands that these measures entail.  More over, these measures are not based on scientific 
grounds nor are they standardized, since the re quirements change from one market to another. 
 
 Paradoxically, the developed countries keep pressu ring the countries of the South to liberalize 
their markets, which is an unacceptable double standa rd.  It is up to the wealthiest countries to 
dismantle their protectionist measures if they wish to lend credibility to their empty rhetoric about 
being the supposed champions of "free trade". 
 
 This adverse situation is far more complicated  for Cuba, whose people are trying to develop 
their economy and achieve greater integration in intern ational trade.  Despite being systematically and 
overwhelmingly condemned at the United Nations, the United States continues to wage its economic 
war against the Cuban people, most notably by applying a genocidal policy in the form of an economic, commercial and financial bl ockade that has affected Cuba for half a century.  Its complex 
tangle of laws and measures are in grave violation not only of the WTO principles and rules and 
international law, but also of basic human ethics.   Despite these obstacles, Cuba keeps moving on a nd human beings are still at the forefront of 
the country's policies and agendas.  We strongly believe  that it is the State's responsibility to act as the 
principal agent and guarantor of full and sustaina ble implementation of the right to development. 
 
The Doha Round will not come to a successful c onclusion as long as we continue relying on 
formulas that undermine the principles and modes of  negotiation that have been pillars of this 
Organization.  The fact of the matter is that it has been impossible to conclude this Round because 
various industrialized countries have refused to ma ke the minimal commitments required of them by 
these negotiations.  No other factor has played a bigg er role in producing the deadlock in the current 
process.  
Cuba opposes the motion to shift focus away  from our work through the adoption of 
a so-called new agenda.  This will not be acce ptable until the Doha Agenda has been fully 
implemented.  We cannot address new issues until we have first dealt with the most pressing 
inequalities and problems that remain unreso lved in the multilateral trading system. 
  Cuba demands that the industrialized countri es show the political will necessary to respond to 
the rightful claims of the developing countri es, especially the least developed countries. 
 
 Ten years have passed since the adoption of th e Doha Agenda.  Cuba reiterates its firm 
commitment and willingness to work toward full y implementing the Doha mandate, prioritizing 
development, using the single undertaking principle to advance our agenda, and defending a true form 
of multilateralism, which ensures the participation of all, to promote the paradigm of a democratic and 
just world based on solidarity. 
 
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