WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/72
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2080)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: English/
Second Session French
Geneva, 18and20May1998
ORGANIZATION OFAFRICAN UNITY/
AFRICAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
Joint Statement Circulated byMinisters ofTrade
AsMinisters responsible forinternational trade matters inAfrican countries, recalling our
meeting inHarare, Zimbabwe from 8to9April 1998, wejointly make thefollowing statement on
theoccasion ofthe2ndMinisterial Conference oftheWorld Trade Organization (WTO):
1. Wereaffirm theimportance ofthemultilateral trading system, nowinstitutionalized bythe
WTO, asanecessary framework forthebeneficial conduct ofinternational trade relations. Noting
thatthe2ndMinisterial Conference oftheWTO takes place ontheoccasion ofthe50thAnniversary
ofthemultilateral trading system, werecall thenoble objectives ofthesystem ofachieving higher
living standards, andgrowth inproduction andtrade inMember countries, according totheirneeds
anddifferent levels ofeconomic development.
2. While acknowledging thesystem 'scontribution overthepast50years toeconomic growth,
wereaffirm theimportance ofanon-discriminatory, open, fairandequitable multilateral trading
system (MTS). Werecognize thattheMTS presents many opportunities andchallenges todeveloping
countries. However, thedeclining share ofAfrican countries ininternational trade isamatter of
grave concern. Wealsonotewithconcern thecontinuing inequities inthedistribution ofbenefits of
theMTS among countries andregions. Consequently, weshould reassess theperformance ofthe
system andourexperiences inthelast50years.
3. Inparticular, webring tothe2ndSession oftheWTO Ministerial Conference ourheightened
concern atthefactthatourcontinent continues tobebypassed withregard tothebenefits ofthe
remarkable growth andgreater global economic integration ofrecent years, andhence continues to
experience marginalization from theglobal economy.
4. Inaddition toourowndomestic efforts ateffecting growth-oriented economic changes and
pursuing meaningful integration intotheglobal economy, wecallforfurther integrated multilateral
initiatives aimed atarresting themarginalization ofourcontinent andatensuring thatourcountries
share equitably inthebenefits ofthesystem.
5. Inthisconnection, wewelcome theintegrated initiative forleast-developed countries adopted
atlastOctober 'sHigh Level Meeting (HLM) heldpursuant tothedecision taken attheWTO 'sFirst
Ministerial Conference inSingapore in1996. Wecallfortheeffective implementation oftheresults
oftheHLM.WT/MIN(98)/ST/72
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6. Wecommend thesteps byseveral WTO Members, including themore advanced developing
countries, inannouncing autonomous market access offers toleast-developed countries inthe
framework oftheHLM onintegrated initiatives forleast-developed counties 'trade development.
7. However, themarket access offers thatwere made during theHLM were autonomous and
non-contractual. Moreover, these offers require evaluation todetermine theneteffect onLDCs,
individually andcollectively.
8. Wedraw attention totheallbutforgotten proposal oftheDirector-General oftheWTO for
duty-free treatment ofproducts originating from LDCs. Weurgethefullimplementation ofthis
proposal. Inthiscontext, wewelcome thereport oftheDirector-General ontheoutcome oftheHLM
andfollow-up totheintegrated initiative.
9. Recalling that33outofthe48least-developed countries areinAfrica, weattach great
importance toappropriate follow-up totheUNCTAD, WTO andITCintegrated initiative, including
theprovision ofadequate budgetary andextra-budgetary financial resources forthispurpose.
10. Wefurther callforthefollowing:
- Theextension oftheresults oftheHLM andtheintegrated initiative toallAfrican
countries;
- theprovision offocused technical assistance tohelpAfrican countries overcome their
difficulties inimplementing theirobligations andexercising theirrights interms of
theWTO Agreement;
- increased market access inareas ofspecific export interest toAfrican countries; and
- measures todealdecisively withcountry-specific situations including -small and
remote island economies, land-locked economies, low-income indebted countries and
subregional constraints tosupply response toimproved market access.
11. Wereaffirm ourcommitment totheachievement oftheuniversality oftheMTS assoonas
possible. Therapid accession ofcountries seeking tobecome WTO members through atransparent
process, willcontribute totheachievement tothisgoal. Theterms ofaccession ofthese countries
should beinaccordance with WTO rules, inparticular theprovisions related tospecial and
differential treatment todeveloping countries intheMTS.
12. While wereaffirm ourcommitment tothemultilateral trading system, wereassert the
important roleplayed byregional trading arrangements, particularly inourcontinent, inincreasing
ourtrade andhence promoting ourintegration intotheglobal economy andmultilateral trading
system.
13. Inthisconnection, werecall thattherules anddisciplines ofthemultilateral trading system
contained vitalprovisions inrespect ofregional tradearrangements among developing countries. We
underscore theimportance wecontinue toattach tothese provisions which willremain necessary in
enabling greater andbeneficial integration ofourcountries intheglobal economy andmultilateral
trading system.
14. Westress thatfullandeffective implementation ofthemultilateral trade agreements and
ministerial decisions under theWTO iscritical torealizing theobjectives ofthemultilateral trading
system.WT/MIN(98)/ST/72
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15. Whilst remaining committed toimplementing ourmultilateral tradeobligations, weunderscore
thedifficulties wefaceineffecting theadjustments tooureconomies andpolicies required bythese
obligations. Inparticular, theinstitutions andhuman resources fortrade administration inour
countries havebeenseverely stretched bythedemands ofimplementing ourobligations andexercising
ourrights inthemultilateral trading system.
16. Weareparticularly concerned thattheimplementation ofmany ofthevitalprovisions in
favour ofdeveloping andleast-developed countries inthevarious Agreements andMinisterial
Decisions embodied intheFinal ActoftheUruguay Round -suchastheDecision onMeasures
concerning thePossible Negative Effects oftheReform Programme onLeast-Developed and
Net-Food Importing Developing Countries areeither sloworremain tobeeffected.
17. Weareequally concerned attheabuse oftrade measures insuchareas asanti-dumping,
technical barriers, sanitary andphytosanitary measures, andtheenvironment.
18. While commending thecommitment toexpanding andstrengthening themultilateral trading
system bythose ofourcountries thatparticipated inthenegotiations onbasic telecommunications and
financial services intheframework oftheGeneral Agreement onTrade inServices, wealsonotewith
concern thatourcountries areyettorealize thebenefits from theliberalization oftrade inservices.
19. Wearefurther concerned about theweakness ofAfrica 'sparticipation intheWTO 's
policy-making processes andattheinadequacy ofitsrepresentation intheWTO 'smanagement
structures.
20. Wearefurther concerned thatourcontinental organization, theOrganization ofAfrican
Unity/African Economic Community (OAU/AEC), hasnotbeen granted observer status inWTO
bodies asyet.Inview oftheeconomic mandate ofourOrganization anditskeyroleinadvocacy,
technical backstopping, facilitating information sharing among African countries notrepresented in
Geneva, andincoordinating ourresponses totrade policy matters, wecallontheMinisterial
Conference totakeaspeedy decision toresolve thismatter.
21. AstheWTO maps ourfuture activities, itisimperative thatcompleting theimplementation
ofcommitments under theUruguay Round Final Act,particularly those provisions infavour ofour
countries andother developing andleast-developed countries bethecentral priority ofourwork.
22. Inthisconnection, animportant partofthepreparatory process forfuture activities weshall
launch during the2ndMinisterial Conference should betheundertaking ofacomprehensive review
ofimplementation, withaviewtomaking recommendations atthenextsession oftheConference on
howthegains anticipated bytheUruguay Round Agreements, especially infavour ofourcountries,
canberealized.
23. Wecontinue toattach great importance totheobjective ofsustained economic growth and
sustainable development which must cutacross alltheWTO Agreements andrules. Inthis
connection, wenotethedeepening ofwork intheWTO Committee onTrade andEnvironment and
support theexpeditious fulfilment oftheCommittee 'smandate. However, weremain opposed toall
forms ofprotectionism under theguise ofenvironmental protection.
24. Werecognize thattherapid paceofglobal economic integration intensifies theneedtoensure
thatthemultilateral trading system evolves inacoherent framework which more effectively reflects
theinterdependence between international trade, money andfinance, while responding tothe
imperative ofreversing marginalization andachieving economic development inourcountries. Inthis
regard, weattach agreat importance totheregional economic integration process.WT/MIN(98)/ST/72
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25. Wenotethatwemeet atatimewhen theeconomies ofanumber ofWTO Members are
experiencing difficulties duetovolatilities infinancial andcapital markets. Thisdevelopment, in
addition tothepersistence oftheforeign debtproblem andinstabilities incommodity markets which
continue tohamper stable andsustained growth inoureconomies, underscores thecontinued
shortcomings intheglobal economy.
26. Thisunderscores theimperative togiveimpetus totheimplementation oftheMarrakesh
Declaration ontheContribution oftheWTO toAchieving Greater Coherence inGlobal Economic
Policymaking.
27. Theproblem ofcontinued marginalization andtheneedforfullandeffective integration of
oureconomies inthemultilateral trading system, makes itimperative thatthedevelopment dimension
andtheprinciple ofspecial anddifferential treatment ofdeveloping countries continue tobeupheld
infuture negotiations andreviews, bothasmandated inexisting WTO Agreements, andasmaybe
required toenhance thedevelopment prospects ofdeveloping countries.
28. Astheglobal andmultilateral trading system enters the21stcentury, thetestofitssuccess
willbeitsability tomeaningfully integrate ourcountries inamanner responsive tothevulnerabilities
ofoureconomies andourdevelopment needs.
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