   
  
WT/MIN(24)/ST/121  
26 February  2024 
(24-1684) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY HON. MR RICHARD MARU  
MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL  
TRADE AND INVESTMENT  
PAPUA NEW GUINEA 
Firstly, Papua New Guinea would like to thank the Government and people of the UAE for the 
excellent arrangements and for the hosting of WTO MC13 and for the hospitality accorded to my 
delegation since arriving in this beautiful city.  
 
Our sincere appreciation also to Madam Director -General of the WTO, and all the Chairs and 
Convenors of the different negotiating groups and our Geneva -based  officials for all the hard work 
you have done since MC12.  
 
Papua New Guinea aligns itself to the Pacific Group, ACP and South Africa in making this Statement,  
Chair and esteemed colleagues, on Fisheries  subsidies , I believe, the Decision made in 
Paragraph  4 of the MC12 and the mandate is very clear, the need to have a comprehensive 
agreement that has disciplines on harmful subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing  
(OCOF ) accompanied by appropriate and effective special and differential trea tment with the 
mandate.  
 
However, the current text is more focused on having disciplines on fisheries management and 
notification, making it more burdensome and restrictive to developing countries rather than 
addressing the problem of overcapacity and over fishing as a result of the harmful subsidies provided 
by large industrial fishing fleets and distant water fishing nations.  
 
I wish to reiterate that transparency obligations should not be imposed as conditionalities for 
invoking SDT as well as the notific ation of access agreements/arrangements which we deem to be 
commercially sensitive. We have consistently voiced our concerns together with the Pacific about 
adding any more onerous or burdensome notification obligations which developing countries and 
LDCs do not have the capacity to implement.  
 
Papua New Guinea  supports effective  special and differential treatment so that the developing 
and small and most vulnerable countries are assisted and given the policy space to grow our fishing 
industries which are underdeveloped and for us to fully integrate into the multilateral trading system.  
 
The reciprocal fisheries management and utilization arrangements relating to the management of 
our migratory stocks should not be hindered by this Agreement.  Therefore,  Papua New Guinea  
underlines the importance of recognizing the rights of coastal states under UNCLOS in determining 
terms of access for fishing which are considered fisheries management tools within our region, and 
these should not be undermined by this Ag reement.  
 
On Agriculture, as a net importing country, Papua New Guinea views the discussions as very 
important for food security and policy space and welcomes the new Chair 's Text as the basis for 
work going forward. W hile this has been acknowledged as a priority for a majority of WTO Members, 
minimal progress has been made in over 20 years of negotiations to mitigate the pre -existing 
distortions in the global agricultural market. These distortions persistently undermin e the food 
security of numerous developing country Members including Papua New Guinea . We call upon all 
Members to engage constructively in the negotiations to address longstanding divergences and work 
towards substantive outcomes in agriculture. Such outc omes are imperative to safeguard the WT/MIN(24)/ST/121  
 
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  livelihoods of smallholder farmers and ensure access to essential foodstuffs for net food -importing 
developing country Members.  
 
Regarding Development , this agenda is important for developing countries and LDCs and we are 
concerned at the lack of progress. We stress the importance of SDT, as emphasized in Paragraph 44 
of the MC4 / Doha Ministerial Declaration and reaffirmed in the MC12 Outcome Document. 
Developing countries and LDCs need precise, effective, and operatio nal SDT in order to better 
integrate into the multilateral trading system (MTS). To this end, we urge Members to engage in 
good faith and progress the G -90 proposals beyond MC13.  
 
On E-Commerce , Papua New Guinea  supports deepened discussions regarding the E-commerce 
work programme particularly working towards the development challenges and digital divide faced 
by many developing countries and LDCs. Papua New Guinea  further supports the extension of the 
Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmission  until MC14 to give time to address the 
implications of applying them  especially for developing Members . 
 
Finally, Papua New Guinea supports the ongoing work on the WTO Reform to make it more relevant, 
fair and equitable to the needs of its Members in view of the many challenges that we face such as 
climate change as well as build the capacities of the develop ing Members integrate into the 
multilateral trading system.  
 
We have travelled far and wide to gather at this Conference. Our gathering here today and what we 
achieve will be a testament to our passion, commitment, and credibility. Let us not return 
empty -handed.  
 
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