. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/63 
15 December 2011  
 
(11-6626) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
INDONESIA 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Gita Wirjawan 
Minister for Trade 
 
 
The Preamble of the WTO Agreement states that "relations in the field of trade and economic 
endeavour should be conduc ted with a view to raising standards of living, ensuring full employment 
and a large and steadily growing volume of real income  and effective demand".  It says that "there is 
need for positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, an especially the 
least developed among them, secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with 
the needs of their economic development".  
WTO Ministers agreed to place the needs and inte rests of developing countries at the heart of 
the Work Programme adopted in Doha in 2001. 
 
My Government sends me to this meeting with a clear mission, that is, to continue to pursue 
the above-mentioned objectives.  Indonesia wants to see a new, determined WTO that is capable of 
transforming itself into an effective and efficient Organization that delivers its objectives and 
vigorously serves the needs of its Members. 
 
As an attempt to improve the development di mension of its rule-book, the WTO has launched 
the Doha Development Agenda.  However, during th e course of the negotiations, Members have also 
not been able to show that they were truly seeking " to place the needs and interests of the developing 
countries at the heart of the WTO" nor had they wanted to see the developing countries  "secure a 
share in the growth in international trade co mmensurate with the n eeds of their economic 
development ". 
 
Indonesia wishes to see this Ministerial Confer ence as an opportunity for the WTO to go back 
to the basics:  the WTO has to produce new rules that strengthen the development dimension of the 
multilateral trading system, and the DDA should quick ly be concluded according to its mandate and 
fully deliver its development objectives.  
Prior to the start of this Ministerial Conf erence, WTO Members have managed to produce 
some elements of political guidance for the conti nuation of the WTO and the DDA works ahead.  No 
matter how low its quality may be, these elements - covering the three pillars of multilateral trading 
system, trade and development, and the DDA - shoul d be able to generate the necessary impetus for 
building up a fresh and credible work plan fo r delivering the WTO development goals starting 
from 2012.  
Indonesia, together with fellow ASEAN member  countries, continue to believe that the 
DDA conclusion is central towards reaching the goals of serving the needs of Members, strengthening 
the multilateral trading system, and improving the sustainability of the world growth and employment. WT/MIN(11)/ST/63 
Page 2  
 
  The DDA has to be re-energized, based on th e mandates and building on the progress already 
achieved.  In this endeavour, Members shall stick to the principles of single undertaking and adhere to 
the bottom-up, transparent and inclusive approach.  Clarity on our path forward, particularly with 
regard to the development and LDC issues, is ce ntral.  Development and special and differential 
treatment shall continue to be at the heart of the negotiations. 
 
An important avenue to ameliorate the world economic situation is by keeping protectionism 
under control.  Members should enhance the work  of relevant WTO bodies in this endeavour, 
inter alia , by strengthening their active roles in improvi ng transparency of trade policies and on the 
Organization's monitoring and reporting work. 
 
We also need to highlight the important role of the WTO regular bodies in the oversight of 
implementing WTO Agreements as well as avoiding and resolving disputes.  The political guidance agreed at this Ministerial Conferen ce should be translated into a to-do list that further strengthens the 
functioning of these bodies, including the dispute settlement system. 
 
In order to improve effective participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading 
system, the WTO should also continue to support expanding and effective Ai d-for-Trade programmes 
and sustainable and affordable trade financing for developing countries.  
To conclude, Mr Chairman, let me join  other Members in welcoming the new 
WTO Members:  Vanuatu, Samoa, Montenegro and the Russian Federation. 
 
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