WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/295
8 March 1999
(99-0923)
Original:  English
NINTH SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATE AND
GOVERNMENT OF THE GROUP OF FIFTEEN
Montego Bay, Jamaica
10-12 February 1999
Communication from Egypt
The following communication, dated 24 February 1999, has been received by the
Director-General from the Permanent Mission of Egypt.
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I am writing to you in my capacity as the current Chairman of the Personal Representatives of
the Heads of State and Government of the Group of Fifteen.  It is with great pleasure that I attachherewith a copy of the Joint Communiqué of the IX Summit of the Group of Fifteen held on
10-12 February 1999 in Montego Bay.
The participation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), represented by
Mr. Anwaral Hoda, Deputy-Director General of the WTO, contributed to the success of the Third
Meeting of the G-15 Trade and Economic Ministers.
The Summit highlighted the importance that the G-15 attaches to a transparent, fair and
equitable rules-based multilateral trading system under the WTO.  To this end, the Summit stressed
the legitimacy of the development objectives of developing countries including full implementation of
special and differential treatment provisions, and the importance of special and differential treatment
provisions, and the importance of redressing difficulties faced by developing countries in theimplementation of the WTO Agreements.  The Joint Communiqué also stressed that it is vital that
developed countries do not use the lack of implementation or non-fulfilment of Uruguay Round
Agreements as bargaining instruments for obtaining  further concessions from developing countries.
Other issues of priority concern to the G-15 include the early accession of developing
countries into the WTO, the full implementation of the measures agreed at the WTO High-Level
Meeting for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the work programme being elaborated to
integrate small economies into the multilateral trading system, and the necessity to address the use of
disguised protectionist measures.
The Summit stressed that labour standards shall co ntinue to be set and dealt with within the
ILO.  The Summit reaffirmed the opposition of the G-15 to its inclusion in the WTO work
programme.  It also added that the label "trade-related" shall not be used as a pretext for the
establishment of standards in one institution and their enforcement in the WTO or any other
institutional framework.WT/L/295
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Furthermore, the Summit urged that practical steps are needed to enhance greater coherence
between the World Trade Organization and the international monetary and financial institutions,
respecting the mandates, confidentiality requirements and the necessary autonomy in decision-making
procedures of each institution and avoiding at the same time the imposition of additional or cross
conditionalities.
Finally, I would appreciate the circulation of this Communiqué as an official document of the
General Council of the WTO.1
                                                     
1 The Communiqué is reproduced in the Annex.WT/L/295
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ANNEX
IX SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
OF THE GROUP OF FIFTEEN
Joint Communiqué
1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the Group of Fifteen, meeting in Montego Bay,
Jamaica, on 10-12 February 1999 for our Ninth Summit, reaffirm our solidarity, and our commitment
to promoting growth, employment and general welfare.  We recognize that only through a
"community of interests" between developed and developing countries that this can be achieved, andso shape a just and equitable global economy.
2. An overview of the world economy, at the end of this decade and century, points to the need
for a more equitable share in the gains from the processes of globalization and liberalization.  We
must therefore identify and build convergences on those complex issues relating to the social and
economic impact of globalization, and through a high level dialogue and viable partnerships, meet the
challenges facing the international community.
3. We remain committed to market-based policies.  Equally, we recognize that for the effective
functioning of the market economy, governments must necessarily play a strong and effective role in
the development and management of institutions, systems and infrastructure.  The great leaps in
scientific discovery and technological application in all spheres of human endeavour, especially in theinformation, communication and health fields, if ethically directed, hold even greater promise of
raising living standards across continents.  To fu lly reap the benefits from these discoveries and
innovations, developed and developing countries should place greater emphasis on and increase their
collaboration in the fields of science and technology.
4. The most recent projections and scenarios for growth, development and distribution of
benefits require our most urgent attention.  The systemic impact of the financial crisis, high levels of
structural unemployment, widening income gaps within and among countries, and the threat of a
resurgent protectionism have led to slower growth.  In the most affected countries, the crisis is
increasing poverty and generally, social instability.
5. In concert with developing countries, and other members of the international community, we
approach the next Summit in Egypt in the year 2000 confident that with timely and appropriate
multilateral action, prospects for the world economy will be improved.
6. We have a better appreciation and understanding of the causes, consequences and corrective
measures required to deal with the still unfolding international financial crisis.  The present crisis has
brought into focus the risks associated with specul ative short-term capital flows, the harmful effects of
which have disproportionately fallen on the developing countries, especially on the poor and
vulnerable.  The injection of liquidity both in international financial markets and through newfinancing mechanisms in the International Mo netary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, increased
resources for social programmes, and the development of regional financial instruments, are positive
but need to be enhanced.  We call on the IMF and World Bank, while responding to the liquidity
needs of the most seriously affected countries, to ensure that their mandates are adequately discharged
in providing the necessary support to redress current account imbalances and provide long-termdevelopment financing.
7. We support those measures which have been taken to increase transparency and
accountability; strengthen national financial systems,  including prudential supervision; and for theWT/L/295
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improvement of a multilateral approach to monitoring and management of the international financial
crisis.  We note the slow pace at which progress is being made in reforming the international financial
system and urge that concrete steps need to be taken to develop inter alia  the following:
- Mechanisms and adequate rules to monitor and supervise the operations of large
financial market players, including hedge funds and currency speculators.  Theseshould provide governments with an internat ional framework of principles to act as
an early warning system, for the adoption of appropriate policy responses;
- Greater coherence between the World Trade Organization (WTO) and relevant
international monetary and financial institutions, respecting their mandates,
confidentiality requirements and the necessary autonomy in decision-making
procedures of each institution, and avoiding the imposition of additional or cross
conditionalities;
- The inclusion of social safety nets as integral parts of development policies and
programmes, at both the micro and macro - levels, ensuring that they meet the basic
needs of the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of the population, and also safe-
guarding the "human capital" of workers whose jobs are at risk.
8. These supportive and constructive responses demonstrate our "community of interests".  They
are clearly not sufficient as the reverberations of the crisis continue to be felt in all parts of the world.
The international community must therefore continue  to pursue the reforms energetically.  There must
be institutional reform, more democratic, transparent and accountable to its members, and a redesign
of the policy frameworks, more appropriate to national circumstances.  We welcome the ongoing
consideration of steps to strengthen the international financial architecture, with a view to restoringstability and predictability in international financial markets.  The Interim and Development
Committees of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, among others, constitute
key institutional mechanisms to carry through the reforms of a systemic nature.  Additionally, the
opening of the capital account must be carried out in an orderly, gradual and well-sequenced manner,
at a pace consistent with the strengthening of countries' abilities to manage any unforeseen andunintended consequences.
9. The efforts in managing the crisis in the im mediate term and the initiatives to reform the
international financial system in the longer term, need to recognize and take into account that the
global economy comprises countries with diverse backgrounds.  We therefore emphasize the need for
both the developed and developing world to have a voice in this process.  An international
consultative process needs to be established to ensure that the reform architecture of the international
financial system accommodates these differences.  In addition, the regime and approach for crisisresponse should have a degree of flexibility to differentiate between and take into account the viability
of alternative options depending on the particular country circumstances.  The G-15 represents an
important group that can and must contribute towards achieving this objective.
10. The international community's focus on systemic issues must be balanced also by urgent
attention to those developing countries, particularly in Africa, who have little or no access to privatecapital markets, and where Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other concessional flows are
critical to achieving their development objectives.  The international community must therefore move
expeditiously beyond the Heavily Indebted Poor C ountries (HIPC) initiative by assisting them to
achieve meaningful reductions in both the stock of  debt and its servicing - bilateral, multilateral,
official and commercial.  We welcome recent initiatives on debt forgiveness for the poorestdeveloping countries by the Presidency of the European Union and the G-7, which need to be
implemented speedily, to give real hope to the world's poorest countries.WT/L/295
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11. We are deeply concerned at the structural factors which have led to significant falls in prices
across all commodity sectors.  The international financial crisis which has constrained aggregate
world demand and impacted on the terms of trade of commodity exporters has exacerbated the
situation.  We urge the developed countries to join w ith us in the appropriate international institutions
to adopt remedial measures as part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to restart growth anddevelopment.
12. We agree that international trade in general, and particularly the expansion of exports from
developing countries, would be facilitated by the reduction of trade restrictive measures, the
dampening of excessive volatility, particularly of exchange rates, the avoidance of sudden reversals of
short-term capital flows and disruption to trade credits.  We are convinced that to stave off any threat
of world economic recession, countries must resist the pressures for protectionism and markets must
remain open, foreign direct investment must be increased and access to capital markets, both privateand concessional must be available to developing countries on safe and predictable terms.
13. The severe and serious social consequences of the financial crisis have manifested themselves
in dramatic reversals of job creation and increased levels of poverty.  At the global level, despite
increases in productivity, innovation and enterprise the absolute numbers of those living in poverty
have increased, and in some countries, this scourge remains deeply entrenched.  We underscore theurgency in dealing with their immediate needs and indeed call on the international community to give
this the highest priority, not only on moral and ethical grounds, but as a means for ensuring
international peace and stability.  We support the renewed awareness by the Bretton Woods
institutions in addressing longer-term structural aspects of social policy and productive employment
in the context of market opening.  The commitments taken at the historic World Summit for SocialDevelopment invite all people in all countries, and in all walks of life, as well as the international
community to join in our common cause to alleviate poverty, unemployment and social exclusion.
14. We note with satisfaction that the ILO is undertaking an in-depth analysis of the negative
social repercussions of the financial crisis with a view to formulating the necessary responses.  We
call upon the ILO to launch a comprehensive employment strategy during the ILO Governing Bodyand Conference at ministerial level later this year.  We will collaborate with all social partners in the
ILO tripartite framework, to achieve this objectiv e.  An employment strategy, including the right to
work should strengthen our respect for internati onally recognized Fundamental ILO Conventions on
workers rights.
15. We commit to, and urge all members of the international community to implement the
commitments of the several United Nations (UN) World Conferences, High-level meetings and
Summits.  We commit ourselves further, to work towards the success of the several Summits and UNConferences to be held in the year 2000, including the South Summit in Havana, the UN Conference
on Financing for Development and the UN Millennium Summit in New York, and UNCTAD X in
Bangkok.
16. We reaffirm the importance of a transparent, fair and equitable rules-based multilateral
trading system under the World Trade Organization, effectively integrating all countries and leadingto the realization of the objectives of "raising standards of living, ensuring full employment and
steadily growing volume of real income and effective demand, and expanding trade in goods and
services".  To this end, we reiterate again, that unilateral measures with extraterritorial effects are
incompatible with the multilateral trading system and threatens to undermine it.
17. We agree to continue our participation in the WTO, in the implementation of its current work
programme and the ongoing discussions and consultations leading up to the Third Ministerial
Conference later this year, when we will join in deciding on its future work programme, including
further liberalization sufficiently broad-based to respond to the concerns and interests of developingWT/L/295
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countries.  We will consult with our trading partners in the WTO, as the preparatory process unfolds,
keeping the following principles in mind, inter alia :
- The legitimacy of the development objectives of developing countries and,
consequently, the need to preserve economic  spaces within the multilateral trading
system to implement market-oriented development policies, as well as the need forthe full implementation of the special and differential provisions in all spheres
provided for in the Agreements, as deliberated at the recent G-15 Symposium on
Special and Differential Treatment for De veloping Countries in the Uruguay Round
Agreements;
- The importance of redressing the difficulties faced by developing countries in the
implementation of the WTO Agreements to enable them to participate more
effectively in the multilateral trading system;
- The lack of implementation or non-fulfilment of obligations of the Uruguay Round
Agreements by developed countries can not be used by them as bargaining
instruments for obtaining further concessions from developing countries.
18. We note the negotiations on accession in the WTO, and the agreement to review progress. In
light of our commitment to the early accession of developing countries, we agree that their terms ofaccession should be in accordance with the WTO Agreements, including the special and differential
provisions.
19. We urge the full implementation of the measures agreed at the WTO High-Level Meeting for
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the work programme being elaborated to integrate small
economies into the multilateral trading system.  We also encourage the increased cooperation betweenthe WTO and UNCTAD, to strengthen the institutional capacities of developing countries and thereby
enabling them to participate more effectively in negotiations and maximizing benefits from the
multilateral trading system.
20. Labour standards shall continue to be set and dealt with within the ILO.  We reaffirm our
opposition to its inclusion in the WTO work programme.  The label "trade-related" shall not be usedas a pretext for the establishment of standards in one institution and their enforcement in the WTO or
any other institutional framework.
21. The relationship between trade and environment is an important and complex issue that
requires further analysis.  We support the ongoing analytical work on clarifying the relationship
between trade and environment in several institutions.  This work should continue.  We oppose the
use of trade measures for achieving environmental objectives and vice versa, and disguised
protectionist measures by developed countries on the grounds of "multifunctionality" in trade sectors.
22. We welcome India's offer to host a meeting of  G-15 countries, at an appropriate level, in
preparation for the Third WTO Ministerial Conference.  We welcome the further proposals taken to
strengthen cooperation among developing countries, particularly the projects being implemented
among G-15 countries.  We agree, under the coordination of Mexico, to intensify G-15 cooperation in
science and technology, and to establish effective and self-sustaining research and developmentmechanisms.  We endorse the proposal made by India to evolve a new strategic sectors approach for
South-South Cooperation, focusing on biotechnolo gy, information technology and infrastructure
development.  We welcome also the new project proposed by Jamaica for G-15 collaboration on
environmental and nuclear sciences.  These projects like all G-15 projects, will continue to be open to
all developing countries.  We note with satisfaction the recently concluded Bilateral InvestmentTreaties (BITs) among several members of the G-15.  We commit ourselves to assisting those G-15WT/L/295
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and other developing countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, other geographical constraints and
external shocks.
23. We discussed the threat posed by terrorism to peace and stability at national, regional and
international levels.  Terrorist acts undermine political and territorial integrity of countries, destroy
social fabric and disrupt democratic institutions.  They also undermine economic growth anddevelopment.  We therefore, strongly condemn all kinds of terrorism, their perpetrators and all those
who support them under whatever guise.  We call for enhanced regional and international cooperation
to prevent and combat this menace, and call upon all States to become parties to multilateral
conventions for the elimination of specific acts of terrorism in accordance with the applicable
Resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.  We also call for the urgent conclusion and the
effective implementation of a comprehensive international convention for combating terrorism.
24. We welcome the initiation of the official level dialogue between the Chairman of G-15 and
the Presidency of the G-8.  We believe this is a positive step at this opportune moment which appears
conducive to such a dialogue and which gives effect to the recognized "community of interests".  We
look forward to the continuation and deepening of dialogue and constructive collaboration at all levels
on the priority issues on the international economic agenda.
25. We welcome Sri Lanka as the seventeenth member  of the Group of Fifteen, convinced that it
will contribute greatly to furthering the achievement of our objectives and future work.
26. We express our deepest appreciation to Jamaica for its able and effective leadership of our
Group during its Chairmanship.  We thank the people and the Government of Jamaica for their warm
hospitality and the excellent arrangements that they have provided for the successful holding of the
Ninth Summit of the Group of Fifteen.  This Ninth G-15 Summit, before the millennium, has allowedus to take stock of our past cooperation and to renew our commitment to continued cooperation in the
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st century.
27. We welcome with appreciation the generous offer of the Government of the Arab Republic of
Egypt to host the Tenth Summit in the year 2000 and look forward to meeting once again in Cairo.
We welcome also the offer by the Government of Indonesia to host the Eleventh Summit in theyear 2001.
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