WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/1 
WT/L/769 
WT/COMTD/LDC/16 
5 October 2009 
 (09-4743) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
ROUND TABLE STATEMENT ON THE LEAST-DEVELOPED 
COUNTRIES' ACCESSIONS  
Phnom Penh (Kingdom of Cambodia) 
28-29 September 2009 
 
Communication from Cambodia  
 
 
 The following communication, dated 30 Sept ember 2009, addressed to the Director-General 
and the Chairman of the General Council, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of 
Cambodia. 
_______________ 
 
 
 Please find attached to this letter the agreed  Statement from the Phnom Penh Round Table on 
LDCs' Accession.  On behalf of Round Table pa rticipants and in consultation with Tanzania 
(Coordinator for the WTO LDCs' Consultative Group) , I request that the attached Statement be 
circulated as a document of the Seventh WTO Mini sterial Conference, the General Council and the 
Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries.  
 
 The Royal Government of Cambodia in consu ltation with the United Republic of Tanzania 
organized a Round Table on LDCs' Accessions in P hnom Penh, from 28 to 29 September 2009.  Over 
two days, under my co-chairmanship with the represen tative of Tanzania, we engaged in an intensive 
exchange of views.  Cambodia's purpose, as a LDC that acceded under the Article XII provision of the 
Marrakesh Agreement, was to share our rigorous accession experience and identify lessons from it to 
assist LDCs, currently in the accession process, to more  rapidly navigate the process.  I believe this 
purpose was achieved, but needs to be constructiv ely sustained by all WTO Members.  This Round 
Table was Cambodia's contribution to efforts to strengthen our rules-based system.    At the Round Table, there was unanimous a nd positive acknowledgement of the "Dialogue 
with Acceding LDCs" with WTO Members, organized by the Secretariat in May this year.  Round 
Table participants welcomed this Dialogue as a comme ndable exercise in transparency to work with 
acceding LDCs to reflect on how best to pragmatica lly respond to their priorities, concerns and 
challenges in the accession process.  I was asked to convey the appreciation of the Round Table to 
Director-General Pascal Lamy.  
 
 I believe that the exchange of views at the Phnom Penh Round Table and the results were 
constructive.  I am convinced that as WTO Member s, we all have a duty to encourage and support a 
continuing process of open dialog ue and exchange. Acceding LDCs  constitute over 40 per cent of 
countries in the process of WTO accession.  Thei r WTO accession should strengthen the rules-based 
system and move the Organization closer to the goal  of universality. There is much to be said in 
favour of the accession process.  At the same time, th ere are practical adjustments that could be made 
for improvements.  Participants welcomed the message from DG Lamy that each completed WT/MIN(09)/1 
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  individual accession should be welfare-enhancing a nd strengthen the rules-based system.  The 
enhanced systemic role of the Director-General w ill be indispensable to this process of improvement. 
 
 I hope that as guardians of our rules-based Multilateral Trading System, you will transmit the 
ideas and suggestions in this letter and attach ed Statement to the Seventh WTO Ministerial 
Conference.  I have copied this letter to my co lleague Hon. Dr. Mary Michael Nagu, Tanzania's 
Minister of Industry, Trade and Marketing and curre nt LDCs' Coordinator.  I believe she will further 
have the attached Statement discussed at the fort hcoming Sixth LDCs' Conference of Trade Ministers 
in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 
 
CHAM Prasidh 
Senior Minister 
Minister of Commerce 
 
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   WT/MIN(09)/1 
 WT/L/769 
 WT/COMTD/LDC/16 
 Page 3 
  
  Round Table Statement on LDCs' Accessions 
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia 28 - 29 September 2009 
  
The Royal Government of Cambodia, in consu ltation with the United Republic of Tanzania 
(Coordinator of the WTO LDCs' Consultative Group ), organized a Round Table on LDCs' Accessions 
in Phnom Penh from 28-29 September 2009.  The Round Table was a follow-up to the Dialogue with 
Acceding LDCs and WTO Members facilitated by the WTO Secretariat on 28 May 2009.  It was part 
of the preparatory process to the Sixth LDC Trade Mi nisterial Meeting to be held in Dar es Salaam, 
United Republic of Tanzania from 14 to 16 October 2009.  The Round Table was attended by Representatives  from acceding LDCs, recently acceded LDCs, 
agencies, and by Tanzania as Coordinator of LDCs Group (as per the attached list). 
 Round Table participants recalled paragraph 42 of the Doha Mini sterial Declaration in which 
Ministers stated that "Accession of LDCs remains a priority for the Membersh ip.  We agree to work 
to facilitate and accelerate negotiations with ac ceding LDCs."  Paragraph 59 of the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Declaration stressed the "impor tance of facilitating and accelerating the accession 
negotiations of least-developed countries, taking due account of the guidelines on LDC accession 
adopted by the General Council in December 2002."  Pursuant to these mandates, the Round Table examined  the issues, challenges and concerns raised by 
acceding LDCs.  The participation and engagement of recently acceded LDC Members
1 with LDCs 
still in the process of accession2 provided a concrete basis for de eper understanding of the possible 
approaches and solutions to the challenges faced by acceding LDCs. 
 Over the past two days, we, participants to the Ro und Table, have shared our accession experiences.  
The results of our collective analysis of the cha llenges we face and with full appreciation of the 
benefits of WTO membership, made evident to us  the necessity for improving the implementation of 
the 2002 Guidelines on LDCs' accessions so as to facilitate and accelerate the WTO accession 
negotiations with acceding LDCs.  
Main results/outcomes:
 
 We recommitted ourselves to a more intensive engagement in our accession negotiations.  We reaffirmed the value of the accession· process in  providing an instrument for domestic reforms 
necessary for drawing on the benefits that accrue  with membership.  In light of our accession 
negotiating experiences, we have identified essentia l steps to facilitate and accelerate our accession 
negotiations in accordance with existing mandates.  
 Participants to the Round Table:  
• Called for improved transparency on LDC’s accession.  
• Urged for strict respect for the 2002 Guide lines by the WTO Members when dealing with 
acceding LDCs.  
                                                      
1 Cambodia, Cape Verde and Nepal. 
2 Afghanistan, Bhutan, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Liberia, Sao Tomé and 
Principe, Samoa, Sudan, Vanuatu and Yemen. WT/MIN(09)/1 
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  • Urged WTO Members to give the Director-Gener al the mandate for an enhanced role as a 
facilitator and to present annual progress reports on LDCs’ accessions to the WTO 
Membership. 
• Stressed the necessity of technical assistance for acceding and acceded LDCs and urged all 
technical assistance agencies to continue to provide targeted assistance in support of LDCs' 
accessions. 
• Recognized the long standing support provided by UNCTAD in support of LDCs’ accessions. 
• Welcomed the efforts of the Executive Secretaria t of the EIF, the International Trade Center, 
and the WTO Secretariat to coordinate and finalize the TA program for the private sector in acceding LDCs.  
• Urged donors to continue to provide, on a sust ained and predictable basis, funding through 
multi-donor trust funds. 
• Reaffirmed the request by the United Republic of Tanzania, as Coordinator of the LDCs 
Group, that the subject of LDCs' accessions be  placed as an item on the agenda of the Seventh 
WTO Ministerial Conference. 
• Expressed high appreciation for the excellent stewardship of Tanzania in its capacity as 
Coordinator of LDCs Group. 
 
We have agreed to forward this Statement to  the United Republic of Tanzania, as inputs from 
acceding LDCs and recently acceded LDC Members, to the Sixth LDC Ministerial Meeting which 
shall adopt LDCs' positions for the Seventh WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva from 
30 November to 2 December 2009.  We invite WTO Members to constr uctively engage with LDCs on the essential steps suggested for the 
improvement of the accession process of LDCs. 
 Participants to the Round Table expressed appreci ation to the Kingdom of Cambodia for organizing 
this Round Table and for the excellent  arrangement and warm hospitality. 
 
Phnom Penh 
Kingdom of Cambodia 
29 September 2009 
  
 
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