. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/25 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6581) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
BARBADOS 
 
Statement by H.E. Marion Williams 
Ambassador 
 
 
On behalf of the Government of Barbados, I wish to congratulate you on your election as 
Chair of the Eighth session of the WTO Ministerial Conference. 
 
Barbados, as a small vulnerable economy in th e Caribbean, is very disappointed that the 
opportunities offered for enhanced trade by the D oha Development Round have  not materialized and 
that there is nothing to be delivered to small ec onomies like ours.  Even more disappointing, the WTO 
has not been able to honour its promises made at Hong Kong to LDCs.  
Barbados, on behalf of SVEs , strongly underscores the importance of a multilateral trading 
system with observable rules, obligations, and a complaints and appeal system as an important framework for the conduct of trade.  In addition,  the Doha Development Agenda by placing emphasis 
on development, and by recognizing our special disadvantages - diseconomies of small scale, 
high-cost modes of transport, a constant need to  rebuild our economies, all culminating in high unit 
operating costs - still offers an opportunity for our ec onomies to be integrated into the global trading 
system.  We therefore strongly support the wo rk undertaken under the Small Economies Work 
Programme and endorse the view that the developmen t focus of the Organization should be enhanced. 
 
SVEs continue to urge recognition of the impor tance of special and differential treatment in 
negotiating approaches and urge that this be mainta ined.  In addition, the mandate relating to small 
economies given by Ministers at the Doha Minister ial in 2001 and affirmed by Declaration at the 
Hong Kong Ministerial of  2005 should be upheld. 
 
We applaud WTO's work in encouraging and m onitoring the delivery of Aid for Trade to 
build trade capacity.  Small vulnerable economies, some  of which are highly indebted or whose access 
is otherwise hampered, and who see trade as a means of reducing long term dependence on 
borrowing, are seeking support fo r easier access to AfT funding delivered through International 
Financial Institutions (IFIs).  
We recognize that changing international dyna mics, the global recession and several other 
factors have together culminated in the current impa sse.  As we seek to break the impasse, we must, 
however, recognize the commitments made to the most vulnerable and should not back-track on the flexibilities stabilized for small, vulnerable economies.  In this difficult environment the importance 
of fiscal space and the role it plays in mainta ining macroeconomic stability should also be a 
consideration.  Moreover, the principles of tr ansparency and inclusiveness should be upheld. 
 WT/MIN(11)/ST/25 
Page 2  
 
  Though we endorse the view that the WTO is more than the Doha Round, and recognize the 
importance of new global issues, we believe that it is critical that WTO is not distracted from its 
primary goals.  
Today, the world sorely needs a vibrant, fair and balanced global trading system.  Barbados 
and SVEs pledge their support in assisting in the achi evement of this objective.  Indeed, yesterday, 
SVE Ministers issued a Ministerial Declaration affirming many of these positions and concerns.  We would be happy to see them recorded in any outcome document. 
 
__________