WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/110 
16 December 2005 
 (05-6090) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   French 
 
  
GUINEA 
 
Statement by HE Dr Djènè Saran Camara
 
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Small- and Medium-Sized  
Enterprises  
   It is an honour for me, on behalf of the Republic of Guinea, to take part in the Sixth 
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 
  On this occasion, I should like first of all to  join other delegations to congratulate you, 
Mr Chair, on being elected to chair our Conference.   I should also like to congratulate Mr Pascal Lamy on his election as Director-General of the 
WTO. 
  Lastly, I should like to express my delegati on's gratitude to the authorities and people of 
Hong Kong, China for the warm welc ome and hospitality we have enjo yed since our arrival in this 
beautiful city, and for the excellent organization. 
 
 The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the WTO is  taking place at a particularly important time 
for international economic relations when trade is playing an increasingly important role, despite the 
ever-increasing marginalization of  developing countries, especially  LDCs, in international trade 
flows.  
 While we are meeting here in Hong Kong, th e eyes of millions of marginalized people are 
upon us, in the hope that this meeting will lead to co urageous decisions that will help to bring about a 
fundamental improvement in their living conditions.   We are aware of this marginalization a nd continue to reaffirm our commitment to 
"development".  This is why in Doha we all gave a mandate to our negotiators to ensure that the 
development dimension was prope rly taken into account at all levels during the Doha Round 
negotiations.   Today, despite the glimmer of hope aroused by  the Decision of the General Council in July 
2004, developing countries in genera l, and LDCs in particular, are concerned at the deadlock in 
negotiations in key areas such as agriculture, especially cotton, market access, and special and 
differential treatment.   This situation could jeopardize development in  our countries, whose people are daily striving 
to ensure their survival at th e cost of intensive efforts and under extremely difficult conditions. 
 
 This is why, at the outset, my delegation e ndorses the joint positions of the ACP, the LDCs, 
the African Union and the G-90. WT/MIN(05)/ST/110 
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 My delegation considers that rapid and meani ngful progress in the negotiations on agriculture, 
especially settlement of the cotton issue, is a sure guarantee of the success of this meeting and, hence, 
of the positive outcome of the Doha Round.  
 In the case of cotton in particular, you w ill understand that the Republic of Guinea, a cotton 
producer and exporter, is extremely interested in a de finitive solution to this i ssue that is advantageous 
for all producers concerned.   In other words, Mr Chair, we consider that a fair and balanced solutio n to this issue requires 
in the first place, and above all, a rapid conclusion  to the trade negotiations that should lead to the 
following:  
-  The rapid phasing out of all subsidies for cotton exports;  
-  a substantial reduction in domestic support measures, which distort trade in cotton; 
 -  the creation of an "emergency fund" to off set losses in cotton revenue resulting from the fall 
in cotton prices on the international market. 
  We welcome the progress made in the negotia tions on trade facilitation and hope that the 
LDCs will rapidly receive the necessary technical  assistance so as to be able to fulfil their 
commitments in this regard.   The progress recently made in the negotiati ons on TRIPS and public  health, giving poor 
countries the possibility of obtaining more easily the medicines essential for the health of their 
populations, is also a source of satisfaction for my delegation. 
  Nevertheless, we hope that , over and above this undoubted ly welcome agreement, the 
necessary conditions are created to allow developing countries, especially LDCs, effectively to be in a 
position to produce the medicines they need themselves.  
 This is the prerequisite for ensuring the health security of their populations. 
  For this purpose, the Guinean delegation consid ers that close cooperation between rich and 
poor countries, involving the private sector concerne d, could in the future provide the appropriate 
solution to this problem. 
 
 Regarding negotiations on non-agricultural products, my delegation hopes that sustained 
efforts will be made in these negotiations so that  the interests of all developing countries, but 
particularly those of the LDCs, are protected in accordance with the positions taken by the African 
Union, the ACP Group and the G-90.  
 It is important for the LDCs to receive th e necessary support to help them produce sufficient 
quality goods and participate more actively in international trade.   This is why the LDCs expect that their pa rtners in the WTO and in other international 
organizations will ensure that the Integrated Fram ework is strengthened so as to provide a better 
response to their development needs. 
  The Republic of Guinea is happy to be one of the LDCs benefiting from the Integrated 
Framework's pilot project, which has become a valu able tool in support of its poverty alleviation 
programme. 
  WT/MIN(05)/ST/110 
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  My delegation wishes to thank all the partners  involved in this programme for the efforts 
already made and calls on them to mobilize additi onal resources to finance the projects identified in 
the matrix of priority actions in the diagnostic  study of the competitiveness of Guinea's economy. 
  In this connection, we welcome the recent "Aid for Trade" initiative, which, we are 
convinced, will enable the implementation of th e enhanced Integrated Framework in 2006. 
  In conclusion, my delegation welcomes a nd congratulates Saudi Arabia on its accession to 
our organization.  
 It urges members to show greater flexibilit y and understanding in order to facilitate the 
accession to the WTO of other least de veloped and developing countries. 
 
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