Pascal, I would first just like to join other colleagues in thanking you for organizing this opportunity for us to exchange views with Members of the Panel on the subject of Defining the Future of Trade. And, like others, I would also like to welcome the Members of the Panel to the meeting here today.
It goes without saying that my government attaches great importance to the WTO and the multilateral trading system, both of which, unfortunately, are having to face some daunting challenges as a result of the changing circumstances in the world today.
In our view, the WTO, as the principal international organization responsible for administering global trade, should most definitely maintain a rules-oriented system for international trade. But, it must always be capable of responding to the kind of profound transformations to the global landscape that we are witnessing today, especially if it is to better facilitate the economic and trade relationships among its Members, which is one of its prime functions.
Since the inception of the GATT, substantial efforts have been made to overcome many of the difficulties in the global trading system, and to improve the organization. However, as the years of GATT history rolled by, many of the detailed problems were overtaken by change, as greater globalization and inter-dependence began to pose very different kinds of challenges from the ones uppermost in the minds of those who drafted the original Agreement.
In the age of the WTO since 1995, it has become increasingly apparent to observers and participants alike that the organization itself also needs to evolve to accommodate the constantly changing circumstances. This was part of the reason why the then-WTO Director-General, in June 2003, appointed a Consultative Board to prepare a “Report on Institutional Problems of the WTO”. Some of the challenges, including the decision-making procedures, participation, accountability, transparency, problems in enhancing the DDA (Doha Development Agenda) negotiations and WTO regular activities, and others, were discussed in a January 2005 Report entitled “the Future of the WTO.” It is quite obvious that some of those same challenges are still bothering us today, and better solutions are required.
Pascal and Members of the Panel, in our view, the WTO should, without doubt, play an active role in meeting the new challenges emerging from the changing landscape for global trade. We would therefore very much like to see a valuable contribution from the Panel to the debate among Members on the best way to tackle the issues.
We look forward to the Panel’s report, and to participating in the process in any way that we can.
Thank you for giving me the floor.
