. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/125 
2 December 2009 
 (09-6490) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
IRAQ 
 
Statement by the Honourable Dr. Safa Al Deen Al-Safi
 
Minister of Trade  
 
(Speaking as an Observer) 
 
 
 Its a great pleasure on behalf of the Iraqi delegation to start my speech with expressing great 
respect and gratitude for your chairing of this  meeting and my thanks and appreciation to 
Mr. Pascal Lamy and the Swiss confederation.   After receiving the observer status in 2004, Iraq has swiftly and promptly adopted steps 
towards implementing economic reform to transfer Iraqi market from a centra lized driven to a free 
market economy that aims to create free trade and encourage the flow of the investments and 
achieving high rates of development.   The political reconstruction and democratic sy stems have been made through the adoption of 
permanent constitution which laid the legal foundati on for new democratic political system in Iraq 
that secures human rights and stresses on free and modem economic system that enables Iraq to 
interact effectively and positively with  national and international community. 
  We stress that broad-based development is necessary if trade is to improve the living standards of the worlds’ poor and to ensure the l ong-term sustainability of resources.  If we would like 
to maintain predictability, transparency and to a void economic crisis in the international economic 
order, we have to limit and control the absolute freedom of its actors. 
  The fall in prices of export commodities has cau sed tremendous income and foreign exchange 
losses to the Iraqi economy, and to handle the fina ncial instability and currency fluctuations, the 
international financial system shoul d be restructured and reformed. 
 
 The world needs globalizing social justice in order to help developing countries to contribute effectively in the international trade and for realiz ing the right to development, so we hope that the 
negotiations in Doha round would accomplish fruit ful results and tangible development gains that 
serve the interests of the developing and less developed countries. 
 
 We have real concerns about WTO-PLUS commitments and WTO-MINUS treatment as a type of entrance fee for joining WTO, Acceding  countries should not be subjected to onerous 
demands while negotiating the terms of their accession .  By the same token, we remain hopeful that 
The simplification of the accession terms and procedur es, which is a core element to accelerate steps 
towards the WTO, will occur as soon as possible.  In this context, the introduction of Arabic as an 
official language at the WTO would be beneficial to both Arab countries (members and observers) WT/MIN(09)/ST/125 
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  and to their trade partners in the organization.  We believe that WTO has had a powerful and positive 
impact on promoting trade but the benefits of free trade are not widely shared.   Iraq, as a developing country, stresses also on the importance of special and differential 
treatment including (longer time periods for implementing WTO agreements and commitments, 
increase of trading opportunities, infrastructur es for WTO work, handling trade disputes and 
implementing of technical standards).   Iraq needs technical assistance, training and ai d for trade to develop trade related skills and 
infrastructure that is needed to implement and bene fit from WTO agreements and to expand its trade. 
 
 Finally let me conclude my speech with many  thanks for listening and being patient and we 
hope that Iraq will be an active partner in ach ieving progress and prosperity in the world. 
 
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