./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/507
14 January 2003
(03-0180)
Original: English
THIRD SUMMIT OF ACP HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
Denarau, Nadi - Fidji Islands, 18 and 19 July 2002
Communication from the Dominican Republic
The following communication, dated 3 December 2002, has been received by the Director-
General from the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic.
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The Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations and Other
International Organizations at Geneva, in its capacity as coordinator of the ACP Group in Geneva,
presents its compliments to Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Director-General of the World TradeOrganization (WTO), and has the honour to enclose herewith the Declaration of the Third Summit
Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the ACP countries, held in Denarau, Nadi, Fiji Islands
on 18 and 19 July 2002.  In this respect, may we suggest that pages 7 and 8 of this Declaration, which
addresses trade matters, be circulated within the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the
information of its Members.
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NADI DECLARATION
ACP Solidarity in a Globalized World
Section on Trade Matters
"Trade
24. We underline the pivotal role of international trade in the economic development of our
countries.  We appreciate the differing capacities of these economies, in particular the special
problems of LDCs and small, landlocked and island countries.
25. We emphasize that in the context of the Doha Work Programme a well functioning,
rules-based multilateral trading system, whose main focus is development, can contribute directly to
economic growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.  In this regard, we call for a
workable balance between the policy disciplines which help to create transparent, stable and
predictable conditions for trade, and the needs of the developing countries and in particular of LDCs
and small, landlocked and island countries for special and differential treatment, and policy flexibility
to achieve their development objectives and to safeguard their economic interests.WT/L/507
Page 2
26. We reiterate that trade liberalization in our States should be phased and sequenced in a
progressive manner and has to be accompanied by adequate supportive measures that address
supply-side constraints, improve competitiveness and strengthen the capacity to trade.  The particular
situations of least developed, landlocked, small, island and vulnerable states, as well as those that
suffer from drought and desertification, and heavily indebted and net food importing non-leastdeveloped countries call for the strengthening of sp ecial and differential treatment as a fundamental
principle of the multilateral trading system.
27. We call for international support for our efforts to increase the capacity of our States to
participate effectively in the multilateral trad ing system, including in bilateral, regional and
multilateral negotiations and in the design of national, regional and international trade policies.
28. We emphasize the need to enhance policy coherence between the Bretton Woods institutions
and the World Trade Organization with a view to pr omoting, without additional conditions, consistent
and mutually supportive policies, that will contribute to improved coordination of technical and
financial assistance, reduction of the debt burden, including cancellation.  In the same vein, we call on
the multilateral institutions, particularly the WTO, to take account of the autonomous liberalizationundertaken by our countries in the framework of structural adjustment programmes."
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