. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/89 
2 December 2009 
 (09-6169) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS 
 
Statement by HE Ms Rosalyn Hazelle
 
Ambassador Plenipotentiary, Permanent Secretary  
   I wish on behalf of the Government and pe ople of St. Kitts and Nevis, to express my 
appreciation to the Government and people of Switzerland for hosting the Seventh Ministerial 
Conference of the WTO. 
  Saint Kitts and Nevis is among the smallest a nd most vulnerable members of the WTO.  As 
such we cannot over-emphasize the need to maintain  development at the centre of the Doha Round of 
negotiations.  A development outcome in the context of this Round is more critical now than ever as 
we grapple with the problems exacerbated by the current global economic  and financial crisis. 
 
 It is my country's belief that the WTO should play a leadership role in addressing the disparities created by the global crisis, particularly where there is evidence that policy measures taken 
at national levels have a direct economic and social impact on other Members of the WTO.  
 In essence, the WTO's role should be enhanced to help small economies withstand the adverse 
effects of the crisis and promote their development.  This can be achieved by infusing development in 
all aspects of the negotiations and by ensuring that there are sufficient programmes geared towards the 
strengthening of capacity at the hum an resource and institutional levels. 
  I wish to commend Director-General Lamy and the WTO Secretariat for the current thrust to 
closely monitor trade policies implemented as a respon se to the global crisis with a view to ensuring 
that we do not revert to the protectionist measures of the 1930's when we expe rienced a similar crisis 
which had a global impact.   The actions of our larger trading partners can  also be detrimental to small economies.  One 
case in point is the new Air Passenger Duty which w ill significantly increase the cost of travel to the 
Caribbean in the first year of implementation and le ad to a larger increase by 2011.  This additional 
cost comes at a time when our economies are str uggling to maintain demand and exacerbates the 
already dire situation faced by our region.  
 Our concern is that such a measure, while  it may seek to address the issue of harmful 
emissions by aircrafts in the environment, may lead some to believe that protectionist interests are at 
play since it adversely impacts our competitiveness vis-à-vis other less-distant providers of tourism 
services.   We recognise the work undertaken thus far in the Work Programme on Small Economies, in 
accordance with Paragraph 35 of the Doha Minist erial Declaration.  A number of small and 
vulnerable economies (SVE) proposals have been inco rporated into the current draft modalities and it WT/MIN(09)/ST/89 
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  is our expressed desire that these modalities be pres erved as we move to the conclusion of the Round.  
There should be no back-tracking of the progress made thus far.  Such could only serve to undermine the prospects for development as we move towards the conclusion of the Doha Round. 
  When we examine the global financial and ec onomic crisis we need to ensure that due 
consideration is given to the impact of the fall- out on vulnerable constituents, including women and 
children.  We must seek to ensure that the ga ins from trade benefit the poor and often forgotten 
vulnerable;  largely constituted by women and children.   Chair, you will note that I have highlighted the importance of taking into account the impact 
of the current crisis on women.  We believe that the Doha negotiations, as well as the broader 
multilateral trading system, should ta ke account of gender issues. 
  We must be cognizant of the fact that a f unctioning multilateral system, invested with the 
tools required for social justice can contribute signi ficantly to the empowerment of women;  not only 
on the factory floor but also at all levels. 
  For St. Kitts and Nevis, Aid for Trade is a key pillar of a development outcome.  Aid for Trade should be additional, sufficient, a nd predictable.  Aid for Trade should not, however, 
replace a genuine development-friendly outcome in the core modalities demanded by our people.  We 
note that Aid-for-Trade flows have increased by  10 per cent between 2002 a nd 2007 and welcome this 
positive trend.  We are however concerned that there may be insufficient appreciation of the needs of 
many in the Caribbean Community and that on both parts, the relationship and focus must be sharpened.   Aid-for-Trade flows should be needs based and shaped by the level of economic vulnerability 
of the recipient.  The acute vulnerabilities of sm all economies with tiny populations are masked by 
relatively high per capita GDP and HDI figures that ar e only reflective of a transient prosperity that 
can quickly disappear.  For example, natural disasters can, in a matter of minutes or hours, undo the achievements realised over many decades of developmen t.  A holistic approach therefore needs to be 
taken where the modalities for disbursing Aid-for-Trade resources is concerned. 
 
 In closing, I wish to reiterate the commitmen t of St. Kitts and Nevis to the strengthening of 
the multilateral trading system.  We also express our  commitment to the successful conclusion of the 
Doha Round.  
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