. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/139 
4 February 2010 
 (10-0592) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
SUDAN 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr. Jamis Kok Ruea
 
Minister of Foreign Trade  
 
(Speaking as an Observer) 
 
 
 At the outset, may I joined the previous speakers and on behalf of the Sudan delegation pay 
our respect and gratitude to the  Government and people of Switzerla nd and extend our greater  respect 
and appreciation to the Director-General and his assist ants and all staff for the excellent preparations 
for this Conference. 
 
 We are hopeful that this 7th WTO Ministeria l Conference which is convened at a time when 
the global economy is at crossroads;  and great ch allenges and uncertainty surround the implications 
of this Crisis for Least Developed Countries.  
 In this regard, we would recall the commitment of WTO members to place the needs and 
concerns of LDCs at the heart of the Doha De velopment Agenda (DDA) negotiations and we hope 
this conference shall give greater success in the
 fulfillment of Doha promises.  
 
 We hope of the result conference would lead to  enhancement and the integration of the LDCs 
into the WTO multilateral trading system.   
 
 In this respect ,the government of the Republic  of Sudan realized and reaffirms the role and 
the contribution of trade into growth, economic de velopment, poverty alleviation and the achievement 
of the MDGs. It is on this basis of that, S udan has locked-in a painful process of autonomous 
Liberalization of its trade and ec onomic regime as a step-stones fo r integrating its economy in the 
global trade system.  
  It is in this spirit, the process of liberali zation was started in 1992, three years before the 
Government formally applied for WTO membersh ip, in October 1994. Therefore, while Sudan 
completed the necessary steps of accession towards th e WTO,we regret to note that the accession 
process for the poor countries has always been a difficult and cumbersome experience, wasteful, 
costly and uncertain;  demands incompatible w ith their development, capacity and financial 
conditions, are continuing to be laid upon them.  And the worse, non-trade and non-technical matters 
adversely affecting the process.   We call upon this meeting to adopt a comprehe nsive plan and reaffirm the need for the 
adoption of a binding mechanism to fast-track the accession of LDCs, to avoid raising non-trade 
concerns, and to faithfully facilita te and accelerate the negotiations for those LDCs that are in the 
process of accession to the WTO.  WT/MIN(09)/ST/139 
Page 2  
 
   Sudan believe that  the statement of 29 Se ptember 2009 made in the Phnom Penh Accession 
Round Table, as contained in WTO documents, for the urgent and effective implementation of the 
2002 WTO General Council Decision on the accession of LDCs.   Sudan as an old cotton grower supports the African initiative on cotton. 
 
 We strongly believe that, Aid for Trade should aim to help developing countries, particularly 
LDCs, to build their  supply-side capacity and trade -related infrastructures that expedite their assist in 
order to implement the benefit from WTO Agreements and more broadly to expand their trade. In this 
regard it cannot be a substitute for the developm ent benefits that will result from a successful 
conclusion to the DDA.  And ensure that regiona l economic communities play a greater role in the 
implementation of Aid for trade.   We call for the principles of the Enhancing the Integrated framework (EIF), that all projects 
shall be national ownership by LD Cs, embedded in effective partners hips, in order to maximise the 
development benefits of the programme and ensure that all LDCs are able to respond to particular 
difficulties and challenges imposed by the current economic and financial crisis 
  We should not lose sight of the developmental aspects of the Doha Round, which ensure the 
integration particularly of our LDCs, in a friendl y and fair, development  multilateral trading system. 
 
 In conclusion, we would like to associate oursel ves with the proposals of  the Director-General 
of the WTO in measuring the assistance LDCs and let all of us has the political will, and remain fully 
committed to a successful conclusion of the Doha Round.  
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