WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/116 
2 December 2009 
 (09-6416) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   French 
 
  
SENEGAL 
 
Statement by HE Mr Amadou Niang
 
Minister of Trade   
   This Session gives us the opportunity to express our views on the following important matters: 
 
 - WTO activities, including the Doha Work Programme;  and   - the WTO's contribution to recovery, growth and development.   Since the Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong,  the implementation of the Doha Agenda has 
not progressed to the extent expected. 
  Sacrifices must therefore be made to rectify this situation, which, if left unchecked, could 
weaken the multilateral trading system even further.  
 In this context, special attention must be gi ven immediately to developing and least developed 
countries, which face constraints in terms of access to developed country markets.   Africa currently has the greatest number of LDCs and remains the most marginalized continent in the multilateral trading system.  C onsequently, it is on Africa that the continuing 
international trade distortions are taking the heaviest toll. 
 
 In this respect, the implementation of the D oha Work Programme could contribute to raising 
living standards in Africa and help millions of Africans to escape poverty.   Senegal, like other LDCs, does not yet benef it fully from its involvement in the multilateral 
trading system.  Our main concerns relate to the following matters: 
   - Fairness in the determination of tariffs and other factors which structure Member 
countries' trade; 
 
  - rapid implementation of the special safeguard mechanism; 
   - the possibility of adopting support measures to combat poverty, minimize the impact 
of price volatility and increase productivity; 
   - implementation of duty-free and quota-fr ee access to the markets of developed 
countries and those of developing countries able to provide such access, on a 
sustainable basis; WT/MIN(09)/ST/116 
Page 2  
 
    - simplification and harmonization of rules of origin; 
   - the introduction of mechanisms aimed at  dealing with specific phenomena that could 
nullify the benefits of special and differential treatment; 
 
  - the cotton issue, the treatment of which is neither expeditious, ambitious nor specific, 
despite the commitments made since July 2004; 
   - effective implementation of the provisions of the SPS and TBT Agreements relating 
to technical assistance for capacity buildin g in the developing countries and the 
LDCs; 
  - appropriate handling of the threat posed by preference erosion;    - implementation of the ministerial decisions on services which invite the developed 
countries to open up those sectors and modes of supply that offer benefits to the 
LDCs; 
  - implementation of the amendment of 6 December 2005 to Article 31 of the 
Agreement on Trade-pRelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. 
 
 With regard to the current economic crisis, it should be recalled that African trade ministers 
recently expressed their concerns in Cairo regarding the impact of the crisis on trade and development 
in Africa.   In general, the crisis will affect African count ries in various ways and at different points in 
time. 
  The economic slowdown in rich countries, whic h brings with it a contraction in demand, 
redundancies, and a tightening of migration polic y, may well lead to a reduction not only in 
remittances from migrant workers, but in foreig n direct investment and Official Development 
Assistance. 
 
 In the light of this situation, how could th e multilateral trading system help to mitigate the 
negative effects of the crisis?   It should be emphasized that for developing  countries and LDCs, trade can be vital for 
furthering their integration into the world economy and improving their ability to cope with the crisis.  
To this end, it is necessary to:    - Make Aid for Trade operational at multilate ral level so as to help mobilize adequate 
resources for the most organized sectors, i. e. those with significant supply potential 
and the competitive edge; 
 
 - develop the Enhanced Integrated Framewor k so as to provide LDCs with adequate 
and appropriate financing; 
  - set up regional export financing mechanisms; 
 
 - build the capacity of the human resources involved in trade negotiations on 
WTO-related issues. 
  WT/MIN(09)/ST/116 
 Page 3 
 
 
   Senegal emphasizes the urgency of concluding th e Round of negotiations so as to ensure that 
the development commitments set fort h in the Doha Agenda are met. 
  The international community is called upon to  act, since the credibility of the multilateral 
trading system is at stake. 
 
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