WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/105 
2 December 2009 
 (09-6342) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   French 
 
  
TUNISIA 
 
Statement by HE Mr Ridha Ben Mosbah
 
Minister of Trade and Handicrafts  
   On behalf of the Tunisian delegation I would like to begin by expressing my heartfelt thanks 
to the Swiss authorities for a warm hospitality they ha ve extended to delegations that are here in this 
beautiful city of Geneva in connection with the Seventh Ministerial Conference. 
  I would also like to thank the WTO Secretaria t for its efforts in preparing this Conference. 
  In particular, I would like to commend Mr P ascal Lamy, Director-General of the WTO, for 
the commitment and talent he has shown at the head of this Organization, and to assure him of our full 
support in carrying out his missions. 
  This meeting is taking place in a particular international context marked by a world economic 
crisis such as the world has not seen since the 1930s, aggravated since 2008 by the price volatility of 
fuel, raw materials, agricultural products and foodstuffs. 
 
 Added to these concerns is the unanimously  recognized danger of environmental pollution 
and degradation of the ecosystem in the wake of the intensive and often uncontrolled exploitation of 
our non-renewable natural wealth as a result of unbridled competition and economic globalization. 
  The economic and social impact of these events  has been considerable, indeed profound, for 
all of our national economies and in  particular the economies of the developing countries, to the 
extent that the Millennium Development Goals could be compromised.   To make matters worse, the economic crisis has led everywhere to unilateral protectionist 
measures and has fuelled inward-looking tendencies, significantly undermining world trade. 
 
 We would like this Conference to provide an opportunity to deepen the dialogue on the concerns and challenges raised by this crisis, and the ways and means to bu ild the capacity of the 
developing countries to withstand the vaga ries of the international environment. 
 
 Tunisia has been a pioneer in this respect, havi ng anticipated the events  and introduced, at the 
end of 2007 as soon as the first signs of the cris is began to appear, a number of monitoring and 
follow-up units which enabled it to develop a coherent  national strategy for dealing with the impact of 
the crisis and preserving the country's  internal and external balances. 
  These measures helped to alleviate the impact  of the crisis on the domestic economy, which 
was able to maintain a positive growth rate and preserve its overall balances. 
 WT/MIN(09)/ST/105 
Page 2  
 
   My country was also able to preserve and even  improve its rating by international agencies 
and to improve its ranking with  several international bodies. 
  Under the enlightened leadership of His Ex cellency President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI, 
Tunisia has always been noted for its gradual appr oach and its determinati on to conciliate economic 
and social dimensions, using economic progress to im prove the standard of living of as much of its 
population as possible.   This approach is also applied to the long te rm, by ensuring that the banking sector is first and 
foremost at the service of development and free from speculation and the temptation of short-term 
gain. 
  Recent developments in the world economic a nd financial situation a ppear to be pointing 
towards a possible end to the global economic recession.  
 It is therefore all the more essential that the international community work more closely 
together and develop coopera tive relations to prevent such a crisis from recurring. 
  This means reaching a general consensus in fa vour of an internati onal economic and trading 
system that guarantees stability throughout the world, a system that is capable of turning globalization 
into a motor of sustainable, just and equitable economic development. 
 
 This is where our Conference provides us with an opportunity to reflect on a world strategy 
where the WTO can assume a more important role in  ensuring that greater priority is given to the 
development dimension which, need I recall,  is the cornerstone of the Doha Round. 
 
 In this connection, let me stress two points: 
  First of all, it is our common responsibility at this stage to preserve what we have achieved in 
the different areas of negotiation and to pursue our work in a spirit of greater understanding and flexibility, working actively together toward s a successful outcome of the Doha Round. 
 
 Secondly, we must acknowledge that any de lay in concluding the current Round will 
negatively affect the prospects for world economic growth.   While it is true that this growth is driven  by sustained developm ent of exports and the 
elimination of barriers to trade in goods and servi ces, it is also dependent on the mobilization of 
foreign investment and financing for the deve loping countries, and the mobilization of more 
substantial aid in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.   In this regard Tunisia continues to favour an organization with a universal vocation which 
embodies an equitable, rules-based multilateral tradi ng system.  We therefore urge Members to show 
flexibility in order to facilitate and speed up the accession of the developing countries on terms and 
conditions that take account of th eir developing country status. 
  Partnership, openness, dialogue, sustainable de velopment, cooperation, solidarity:  these are 
the watchwords that guide Tunisi a's action in all areas.  They represent both a choice and a vocation. 
 
 This is the course my country has undertaken to follow. 
  WT/MIN(09)/ST/105 
 Page 3 
 
 
   A land of encounters, a crossroads of civ ilizations - Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, and 
Arab - Tunisia is guided by its multicultural heritage .  And let me add, in this connection, that the 
time has come for the Arabic language to be  adopted by the WTO as a working language. 
 
__________