WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/ST/125
11 September 2003
(03-4919)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 - 14 September 2003Original:  French
TUNISIA
Statement by H.E. Mr Mohsen Laroui
Secretary of State to the Minister of Tourism, Commerce
and Handicrafts, in Charge of Trade
First of all, allow me to join previous speakers in expressing, on my own behalf and that of
my delegation, sincere thanks to the Government and people of Mexico for their warm welcome andthe excellent organizational arrangements and facilities placed at our disposal for this Conference.
I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the WTO Director-General,
Mr Supachai Panitchpakdi, and to Mr Carlos Pérez del Castillo, the Chairman of the General Council,
for all their hard work in moving forward this Round of multilateral trade negotiations.
This Conference is being held at what is a difficult time for the world economy and in a
fragile international environment, characterized by a marked slowdown in growth and world trade.
Developing countries are the ones to have suffered most from this situation.
That is why we attach particular importance to this Conference, which must send a strong
signal to the business community in order to rest ore confidence in the global environment and the
revival of investment and economic activity.
The Conference also comes at a key juncture:  after the Doha Conference, but before the
conclusion of the negotiations scheduled for the end of next year.
Now is our opportunity to push the current negotiations forward in accordance with the terms
of the Doha Development Programme, an endeavour in which the single undertaking is crucial.
The headway made in the negotiations depends on the issue;  some negotiating areas have
recorded an acceptable degree of progress, whereas others, particularly those of greater interest todeveloping countries, lag behind.  Each and every one of us is responsible for bringing these
negotiations to a successful and balanced conclusion.
Notwithstanding the constraints inherent in our various positions and the negotiating
timetables, we are gathered here today in the quest for a freer trading system, not as an end in itself,
but rather as a driving force whereby the hundreds of millions who aspire to a better standard of living
can have their hopes fulfilled.
We believe that the outcome of our Conference must give the development dimension of the
Doha programme real content, which is effective and operational.WT/MIN(03)/ST/125
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With regard to the implementation of WTO Agreements, honouring WTO obligations and
commitments is, it goes without saying, what demonstrates credibility.  It will provide developing
countries with both improved market access and greater flexibility in keeping with their stages and
levels of development.
As far as access to medicines is concerned, Tunisia welcomes the recent agreement in this
field.  Nevertheless, it is of the opinion that there are other diseases, including cardiovascular diseases
and cancer, that threaten the health and lives of millions of human beings, and warrant particular
attention from the international community.
Negotiations on multilateral trade must take the concerns of developing and least-developed
countries into consideration and ensure greater access for the goods and services of particular interestto them.
In the area of  agriculture, Members will have to take the particularities of this sector into
account, bearing in mind that it is important socially as well as economically, particularly for
developing and least-developed countries.
This means, first and foremost, a reduction in the support measures which distort agricultural
trade and hinder the development of agricultural activities in developing countries, particularly where
the agricultural sector is made up essentially of small-scale family farms, mostly outside the market.
If small-scale agriculture is to be protected from the adverse effects of trade liberalization,
flexible modalities suited to supporting agriculture  need to be designed and maintained to prevent
smallholder activities from dying out, with all the social repercussions that this would entail.
Net food-importing countries warrant much greater attention.  There can be no doubt that the
export competition component of the agricultural reform programme will adversely affect the food
bill of these countries.  The modalities for food aid as it is currently provided are no longer
appropriate, which militates in favour of developing suitable instruments able to support net food-
importing countries.
Tunisia therefore calls for the revolving fund proposed by the developing and least-developed
countries concerned to be established.
Turning to  services, Tunisia calls for the interests of developing countries to be taken into
greater consideration in the initial offers submitted by developed countries, which, in turn, will
encourage them to submit liberalization offers in this sector.
To boost their services exports, developing countries need mutual recognition of diplomas
and professional qualifications and improved market access through liberalization of the movement of
natural persons and facilitation of travel.
With regard to non-agricultural market access, the sectoral approach presents major
challenges to economies with few sectors of activity.  The elimination of tariff peaks and tariff
escalation is, however, crucial for ensuring improved market access for these countries.
The proposals aimed at total and sectoral dismantling of customs duties on these products are
a cause for concern to us, given the erosion of trade preferences resulting from regional integrationagreements.  Such erosion will cause Tunisia to lose substantial financial resources from export
revenue, including from one sector which alone accounts for 50 per cent of export revenue.WT/MIN(03)/ST/125
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As far as the Singapore Issues are concerned, Tunisia wishes to insist upon the autonomy of
developing countries to establish their own objectives and develop the requisite instruments to achieve
them.
Lastly, I wish to extend my congratulations to Nepal and Cambodia on their accession to the
WTO - further proof that this Organization should be universal.  We would ask Members to refrain
from imposing demands which are likely to delay or prevent developing countries from enjoying the
benefits of the multilateral trading system.
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