WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/719 
14 March 2008 
 (08-1152) 
 Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
LDC TRADE MINISTERS' MEETING 
Maseru, Lesotho  
27 – 29 February 2008 
 
 
 The following communication is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Lesotho. 
 
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MASERU DECLARATION
1 
 
  We, the Ministers of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) responsible for trade, meeting in Maseru, Lesotho  with a view to advancing and promoting the interests of LDCs in the Doha 
Development Round of multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO); 
 
Recalling  the LDC Ministers’ Declarations adopted  at Zanzibar in 2001, Dhaka in 2003, 
Dakar in 2004 and Livingstone in 2005; 
 
Acknowledging  the contribution of trade to the ec onomic development and growth of the 
economies of LDCs, particularly those that are most vulnerable; 
 Desiring to secure the meaningful and effective integration of LDCs into the multilateral 
trading system; 
 
Welcoming the commitment by Members to exempt  LDCs from undertaking any reduction 
commitments in Agriculture and NAMA; 
 Reaffirming  the need to conduct the WTO negotiations in a transparent and all-inclusive 
manner and the need to maintain the centrality of  development outcome from the Doha Development 
Round;  
 
Recalling  the commitment of Members of the WTO to place the needs and concerns of LDCs 
at the heart of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations;  
Having 
reviewed  the progress made in the DDA negotiations towards this goal; 
 
Noting that, while progress has been made in certain areas, important common negotiating 
goals of the LDCs in the DDA have not been attained fully; 
 
                                                      
1 As adopted by the Ministerial Meeting on 28 February 2008. WT/L/719 
Page 2  
 
  Call upon the WTO Members to  agree on the following: 
 
Duty-free and Quota-free Market Access and Rules of Origin 
 
1. A commitment by developed country Members to fully implement the decision on duty-free 
and quota-free market access as contained in  Annex F of the Hong Kong Ministerial 
Declaration, including through Agriculture a nd Non-Agricultural Market Access modalities, 
with a view to ensuring commercially meani ngful duty-free and quota-free market access for 
at least 97 per cent of products originating from LDCs, defined at the tariff line level, by the 
end of 2008; 
 
2. A commitment by developed country Members to grant, in a progressive manner, duty-free 
and quota-free market access for the remaining 3 per cent of products originating in LDCs at 
an earlier date, but not later than the end of  the implementation period of the Doha Round; 
 
3. Specification by each developed country, on a product-by-product basis, of the dates on 
which it will grant duty-free and quota-free market  access for the remaining 3% of products 
originating in LDCs by the time Members su bmit their comprehensive draft schedules of 
concessions;  
 
4. A commitment by a larger number of developing countries declaring themselves in a position 
to do so to progressively implement beyond current  market access levels and to provide duty-
free and quota-free market access to products orig inating from all LDCs starting at an earlier 
date, but not later than the end of the implementation period; 
 5. An agreement by Members to base their rules of origin for products originating in LDCs on 
the model Rules of Origin in TN/CTD/W/30, TN/MA/W/74 and TN/AG/GEN/20;   
 
6. An agreement to establish an effective mon itoring mechanism as part of the NAMA and 
Agricultural Modalities of the Doha Round, to  oversee provisions for duty-free and quota-free 
market access to all products from all LDCs and to monitor the implementation of simple and 
transparent rules of origin for products originating in LDCs; 
 
7. Operationalisation of commitment by developm ent partners and the relevant international 
institutions to provide additio nal financial and technical assistance through appropriate 
delivery mechanisms aimed at industrialisation and diversification of LDCs’ economies, and 
to meet their implementation obligations, including fulfilling SPS and TBT requirements, 
building capacity in standards and related infr astructure and assisting LDCs to manage their 
adjustment processes, including those necessary to  face the results of MFN multilateral trade 
liberalization; and 
 8. Parallel progress should be made in the implem entation of DFQF market access commitments 
in agriculture and NAMA modalitities for comparable outcomes in both areas. 
 
Agriculture 
 
9. A commitment to achieve DFQF market access provisions specified in paragraph 1 to 8 
above; 
 
10. The elimination, in accordance with the Hong Kong  Ministerial Declaration, of all forms of 
export subsidies by the end of 2013, except where provisions are for LDCs; 
  WT/L/719 
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  11. An agreement to cap blue box support and to adopt disciplines on spending at product-
specific level; 
 
12. The review and clarification of green box di sciplines and the design of appropriate and 
effective monitoring and surveillance mechanisms to avoid box shifting; 
 
13. Full access to Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM ) under all circumstances to address import 
surges and price declines.  In view of the in stitutional capacity of the LDCs recourse to SSM 
should be simple and user friendly and access to SSM should not be limited to the 
implementation period.  There should be no ceili ng on the level of tariff necessary to address 
import surges.  The remedy should be sufficient to address the magnitude of the surge; 
 14. Access to all Special and Differential Treatment provisions and exemption from any form of 
reduction commitments; 
 
15. An acceptance by all Members that food ai d should respond to the demands of LDCs; 
 
16. Commitments by development partners in the improvement of the monitoring of food aid 
transactions to avoid commercial displacement in the recipient countries while encouraging 
the purchase of local and regional products to  promote the development of the local and 
regional agricultural sector; 
 
17. Permitting the monetisation of non-emergency fo od aid only under exceptional circumstances 
to be determined by recipient countries; 
 
18. Establishing an appropriate mechanism to addr ess, through Modalities in relevant negotiation 
bodies, the concern of declining, and volatile commodity prices and the deterioration of the 
terms of trade as well as an increase in the pa rticipation of LDCs in the value chain of 
production; this should include arrangements between producing and consuming countries / 
and between commodity-dependent producing countries; and  
 19. Inclusion of paragraphs 87 to 97 of TN/AG/W/ 4 Rev.1 as an integral part of the Agreement 
on Agriculture. 
 
Cotton  
 
20. Achieving an ambitious, expeditious and specifi c outcome for cotton trade-related aspects, in 
particular  the elimination of trade-distorting domest ic support measures and export subsidies, 
granting of duty-free and quota-free market access for cotton and cotton by-products originating from the LDCs;   
21. Setting up a safety net mechanism for cotton pr oducing LDCs to address revenue losses as a 
result of declining prices in the international markets; and  
 
22. Implementing the commitment by WTO Members contained in the July Package and the 
Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration regarding th e mobilisation of technical and financial 
assistance to ensure the coherence betw een the trade and development aspects. 
 
NAMA 
 
23. A commitment to achieve the outcomes specifi ed in paragraph 1 to 8 above, under the 
headings DFQF market access and rules of or igin, in the negotiations on non-agricultural 
market access (NAMA);  WT/L/719 
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  24. Flexibilities for LDCs to determine the level of bindings of their tariff lines. LDCs will be the 
judge of the extent and level of the bindings they will make; 
 25. An agreement to eliminate all non-tariff barriers on products originating in LDCs; 
 
26. Agreement not to impose any discipline on export taxes, as these are legitimate tools for 
development; and 
 27. Access to all Special and Differential Treatment provisions and exemption from  any forms of 
reduction commitments. 
 
Preference Erosion 
 
28. An agreement to incorporate both trade and non-trade solutions in the NAMA and 
Agricultural modalities to address the erosion of preferences;  
 
29. An agreement by all Members to incorporate a ll the tariff lines contained in the list submitted 
by the LDCs in Document Job (07)/167, with a view to addressing the erosion of preferences 
on the LDCs in their major markets, namely th e EC and the US, and to subject these tariff 
lines to a longer grace period in tariff cuts as proposed by LDCs; and 
 
30. The sectoral initiatives of the NAMA negotiations sh all not harm the export interests of LDCs 
due to erosion of their preferences.  Effec tive mechanism should be established to mitigate 
any negative effect of the sectoral tariff initiatives. 
 
Services 
 
31. An outcome in services consistent with th e development objectives of the GATS, 2001 
Services Negotiating Guidelines and the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration, including 
Annex C. Steps towards the completion of the ne gotiations should be consistent with these 
objectives; 
 
32. Full and effective implementation of the modaliti es for the special treatment for LDCs for the 
negotiations on trade in services before the e nd of 2008 and as contained in TN/S/13;  
 33. An immediate fulfilment of the obligations of developing an appropriate mechanism to grant 
special priority to LDCs in sectors and modes of  supply of export interest to LDCs, including 
through a legal mechanism to ensure that pr eferential and more favourable treatment to 
services and service suppliers of LDCs is exempt  from the MFN obligation in Article II of the 
GATS;  
 34. Commitments on market access and national treatment to LDCs in the sectors and modes of 
supply of export interest to LDCs, in partic ular commitments on the temporary movement of 
persons supplying services (Mode 4) as identified by LDCs; 
 
35. A commitment from developed countries, and deve loping countries in a position to do so, to 
provide preferential and more favourable treatme nt to services and service suppliers of LDCs, 
in accordance with the proposal by  LDCs contained in TN/S/W/59; 
 
36. Immediate assistance to LDCs  in identifying sectors and modes of supply that represent their 
development priorities; 
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  37. Provision of needs-based technical assistance and capacity building aimed at assisting in 
building their institutional framework and dome stic regulation capacity including facilitating 
the establishment of technical standards and participation of LDCs in the relevant 
organisations; and 
 
38. Commitments by WTO Members to ensure the strengthening of LDC domestic services 
supply capacity, efficiency, and export competitiv eness in accordance with Article IV:1(a) of 
the GATS and paragraph 8 of the LDC Modalities (TN/S/13).  Reporting by WTO Members of any measures taken to date towards that objective. Future commitments shall include 
measures as set out in paragr aph 8 of the LDC Modalities. 
 Trade Facilitation 
 
39. Priority to be granted to LDCs in availing technical and financial support for conducting the 
self-assessments and priority  needs exercise at national level;  
 
40. Follow-up to the self-assessments and priority  needs exercise whereby LDCs are provided 
assistance to determine the costs implications  of proposed trade facilitation measures;  
 
41. Adequate financial and technical assistance a nd capacity building for the development of 
required infrastructure in LDCs, through a coordina ted and sustained flow of funding that also 
addresses the cost of the implementation of th e proposed trade facilitation measures affecting 
LDCs;  
 42. Indication by Members during the scheduling stage of the nature and means of effecting 
capacity building, technical assistance and financial assistance; 
 
43. LDCs shall not be required to undertake manda tory commitments until their acquisition of the 
necessary capacity to implement such provisions.  The LDCs should be the ones to determine 
whether such implementation capacity has been acquired; and 
 44. LDCs shall individually notify their implementa tion plans after the entry into force of any 
new trade facilitation agreement. 
 
TRIPS 
 
45. Amendment to the TRIPS Agreement to require , in accordance with the proposals contained 
in IP/C/W/474, mandatory disclosure of sour ce and origin of biological resources and 
associated traditional knowledge and proof of prior consent to address misappropriation and 
erroneous granting of patents in order to enhan ce the developmental aspects and benefits that 
could accrue to the LDCs;  
46. Commitments by developed WTO Members to provide incentives to enterprises and 
institutions within their territories that achieve  effective technology transfer to LDCs in 
accordance with Article 66.2 of the TRIPS Ag reement. Such measures must go beyond 
workshops and seminars to include measur es that provide incentives to enterprises and 
institutions in developed WTO Members to work  in direct conjunction with enterprises and 
institutions in LDCs in a manner that results in technology transfer; 
 
47. Establishment of a monitoring mechanism to review the situations where enterprises and 
institutions within developed WTO Members have  provided technology transfer to LDCs as a 
result of such incentives and their effectiveness at creating a viable technological base in the 
LDC; WT/L/719 
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  48. A commitment to expedite the process of ratifying the Protocol amending the TRIPS 
Agreement attached to the Decision of 6 D ecember 2005 (WT/L/641) within the two year 
extension period agreed to in WT/L/711; 
 49. A commitment by development partners to provide  financial and technical assistance for need 
assessments and implementation of bankable project identified by LDCs; and 
 50. Explore the Convention on Biological Diversity  (CBD) and its relations with the TRIPS 
Agreement with a view to incorporating the LDCs concerns embedde d in the CBD, but not 
covered in TRIPs. 
 
Rules and Fisheries Subsidies 
 
51. Approval of Article III.1 of  Annex VIII of the Chai r's draft text of the 30
th November 2007 on 
Fisheries Subsidies which exempts LDCs from th e prohibited subsidies to the fishing sector 
that are listed in Article I.1 of the text;   
 52. Provision for adequate technical assistance to meet information requirements under the 
Notification and Surveillance on subsidies Impl ementation of the provision of technical 
assistance, particularly for the information requirements of Article VI:5; and 
 
53. Exemption of LDC exports from safeguard measures and antidumping actions so as to 
facilitate exports from LDCs.  
 
Special and Differential Treatment Provisions 
 54. Full implementation of the provisions on special  and differential treatment for all LDCs and 
the effective application of these provisions fo r the LDCs in the process of accession to the 
WTO; and 
 55. Establishment of a simple, practical and effi cient monitoring mechanism that compliments 
other existing and proposed monitoring mechanis ms which will allow for regular review of 
the implementation and effectiveness of S&D pr ovisions in the existing agreements in line 
with paragraph 44 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration as well as provisions that will result from the current round. 
 
LDC Accessions to the WTO 
 56. The adoption of a binding mechanism to fast -track accession of LDCs, based on full and 
faithful adherence to the letter and spirit of the Guidelines for LDCs accession to the WTO 
that were adopted by the General Council in  December 2002.  Members shall refrain from 
taking non trade issues towards acceding countries;  
57. A comprehensive review by the Sub-Comm ittee on LDCs of the accession process of the 
recently-acceded LDCs and an annual review of the ongoing accessions to evaluate the 
implementation of the LDC Accession Guidelines, with the results of the review included in 
the Annual Report of the Committee on Trade and Development to the General Council; 
 
58. Ensure the full and automatic application to all LDCs in the process of accession of the 
provisions on all special and differential treatment for LDCs contained in the WTO Agreements and any such provisions that w ill emerge from the Doha Round of negotiations; 
and  
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  59. The provision of increased financial and technical assistance and capacity building 
programmes on a sustained basis for acceding and newly acceded LDCs to enable them to effectively participate in the accession process and to adhere to their commitments in the 
WTO respectively, as well as to expedite their in tegration into the multilateral trading system. 
 We further call for:
 
 
60. Full implementation of the commitments made in  the Marrakesh Declaration and Ministerial 
Decisions in favour of LDCs, as well as the Mi nisterial Decisions on Measures concerning the 
Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on LDCs and Net-Food Importing 
Developing Countries (NFIDCs); 
 
61. Efforts to ensure that the negotiations adhere to the principle of less than full reciprocity, 
asymmetry in market access and the developmen t concerns of LDCs entering into regional 
arrangements with developed countries under the GATT 1994 Article XXIV and GATS 
Article V; 
 
62. Provision of increased, sustained and targeted technical and financial assistance in favour of 
LDCs, consistent with Doha work progra mme, including continued delivery by WTO 
secretariat  of specialized technical assistance and training activities;  
 
63. Special consideration to be given to developi ng countries that are in Customs Unions with 
LDCs in reduction commitments; 
 64. According high priority and importance to na tional ownership by LDCs of the EIF as an 
effective tool to enhance economic development;  
 
65. Strengthening the effectiveness of the EIF through, inter alia ,  building supply-side capacity, 
technology and trade-related infrastructure th at would support diversification of LDCs’ 
production and export base;  
 66. Immediate appointment of the EIF Executive Director, selection and appointment of the Trust 
Fund Manager and acceleration of other relate d processes, which will strengthen EIF global 
governance structure;  
 67. Operationalisation of the EIF by mid-2008 so th at the LDCs start benefiting from the facilities 
available under EIF;  
 
68. Immediate measures to move the Aid for Trade process from analysis and needs assessment 
to the implementation at country, regional and international levels with full recognition of 
regional integration as a necessary step to enhancing trade competitiveness and scale up the 
overall ODA envelope so that resources are additi onal and substantial and can be employed in 
all areas defined in the broad definition of Aid for Trade;  
 
69. Establishment of an appropriate system or me chanism of reporting and monitoring of Aid for 
Trade which takes into account national foreign aid flow monitoring systems; 
 70. Efforts to ensure the coherence mandate be tween the WTO and International Financial 
Institutions (IMF, World Bank) as well as regiona l development institutions (AfDB, ADB), in 
line with the rights and flexibilities that LDCs ha ve obtained under the WTO, is put into full 
operation to support LDC development objectives; and 
 WT/L/719 
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  71. UNCTAD XII, which offers a unique opportuni ty, to address the challenges and opportunities 
of globalisation for development and ensu re and strengthen the coherence between 
development and trade, particularly in the context of LDCs. 
 
We express our appreciation to:
 
 72. His Majesty The King, his Government and People of the Kingdom of Lesotho for hosting 
this LDC Ministers meeting in Maseru; 
 73. Development partners, instituti ons, organisations and agencies who continue to support the 
efforts of LDCs to secure a trading system th at takes their interests into account and those 
who have made it possible for the LDCs to hold this meeting; and 
 74. Lesotho, as Coordinator  of the WTO LDCs Group, and mandate her to further pursue  the 
negotiating agenda as contained in this Declaration  and to present it to the WTO bodies and 
Ministerial Conferences. 
 
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