WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/61
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2052)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Original: French
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
NIGER
Statement Circulated byH.E. Mr.Ibrahim Koussou,
Minister ofTrade andIndustry ofNiger
Ishould likefirstofalltoexpress toyou,Mr.Chairman, andthrough youtothepeople of
Switzerland, mydeepgratitude forthewarm andhospitable welcome given toourdelegation. Ialso
wishtoaddress mythanks toMr.Renato Ruggiero, Director-General oftheWTO, andallhisstaff
fortheefforts theyhavemade inorganizing andrunning thisConference.
After Singapore, itisnowGeneva 'sturntohosttheMinisterial Conference ofourcommon
organization, theWorld Trade Organization (WTO). Theholding ofthissecond Conference coincides
mostfortunately withthe50thAnniversary ofthemultilateral trading system which wearegoing to
celebrate inthismagnificent city,headquarters ofseveral ofourinternational organizations.
Thehistory ofthemultilateral trading system hasbeenmarked, asyouknow, bymajor events
attheeconomic, social andpolitical levels. They haveincluded:
- Theformation oflarge economic groupings inallregions oftheworld;
- major economic andpolitical changes incentral andeastern Europe andintheformer
Union ofSoviet Socialist Republics;
- thelaunching andconsolidation ofthedemocratic process inourcountries; and,lastly,
- thecompletion oftheUruguay Round negotiations bytheestablishment oftheWorld
Trade Organization, having foritsbackground theliberalization andglobalization of
trade andtheeconomy.
Theopportunity isthusgiven toustolookbackovertheevolution ofthemultilateral trading
system, toassess itscontribution andevaluate itsperformance withaviewtodefining newapproaches
which would takebetter account oftheinterests ofourcountries, andparticularly those ofthe
least-developed countries, inthefuture multilateral trade negotiations.
Clearly, theevaluation oftheimplementation oftheSingapore Ministerial Declaration and
ofthePlanofAction fortheLeast-Developed Countries constitutes anopportunity forgauging not
onlytheinternational community 'scommitment tofurnishing technical assistance toourStates, but
alsothedegree ofincorporation ofthedeveloping countries intothenewmultilateral trading system.
./.WT/MIN(98)/ST/61
Page2
Firstofall,mycountry,liketheotherleast-developedcountries,welcomedtheholdingatGeneva
on27and28October 1997 oftheHigh Level Meeting onintegrated initiatives forleast-developed
countries 'trade development. Inthatregard, myGovernment attaches particular importance tothe
implementation andcontinuation bythedeveloped countries andtheinternational community ofthe
commitments entered intoattheendofthatmeeting, particularly thegranting ofthenecessary technical
assistance forthedevelopment ofthetrade andinvestment capacities ofourcountries.
What ismore, asaleast-developed country oftheSahel andanet-importer offood, mycountry
requests theconcrete implementation oftheDecision onMeasures Concerning thePossible Negative
Effects oftheReform Programme onLeast-Developed Countries anditsextension tothebenefit of
other developing countries facing problems offoodinsecurity.
Being wellaware ofwhatisatstake andoftheobligations imposed bytheUruguay Round
Agreements, theGovernment ofNiger hasembarked upon avastprogramme ofeconomic andlegal
reforms toadapt itseconomy tothecurrent context ofglobalization andliberalization.
Itisinthatperspective thatanational policy andframework programme forthepromotion
oftheprivate sector have been adopted bymyGovernment. Before theendof1998, aspecific
round-table meeting ontheprivate sector willbeorganized tomake athorough study ofalltheaspects
ofourpolicy forthepromotion oftheprivate sector, particularly theimprovement ofthebusiness
environment andmeasures infavour ofinvestment.
However,carryingoutthesereformsimpliescostswhichthelowlevelofeconomicdevelopment
ofmycountry doesnotpermit ustobear. Thatiswhy, inthefuture integrated programme, anextra
effort should bemade bytheWTO andtheinternational community toapply effectively thespecial
anddifferentiated treatment infavour ofourcountries soastosupport theirefforts toadapt andto
winaplace forthemselves inthenewmultilateral trading system.
Weareconvinced thatthisConference willnotfailtoadopt boldrecommendations topreserve
theinterests ofdeveloping countries andtheirpeoples. Wishing allofusevery success inourwork,
Ithank youforyourkindattention.
__________