WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/38
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2018)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
NIGERIA
Statement Circulated byTheHon. Dr.Emmanuel O.Udogu,
Minister ofCommerce andTourism
Onbehalf oftheGovernment oftheFederal Republic ofNigeria, Ioffer youoursincerest
andwarmestcongratulationsonyourelectiontotheChairmanshipofthissecondsessionoftheMinisterial
Conference oftheWorld Trade Organization (WTO). Weareconfident inyourskills andabilities
tosteer thisConference toasuccessful conclusion. Through you,Mr.Chairman, weconvey our
gratitude totheauthorities oftheSwiss Confederation forthesatisfactory arrangements made forour
participation atthisConference.
Weseizethisopportunity, aswehaveonseveral occasions, towholeheartedly paydeserving
tribute toH.E. Mr.Renato Ruggiero, Director-General oftheWorld Trade Organization (WTO) for
hisuntiring andarticulate advocacy ofthemerits andbenefits ofthemultilateral trading system. In
thepastfewyears, theDirector-General hasinitiated several creative projects inhissearch forthe
integration ofdeveloping andleast-developed countries intothemultilateral trading system. Forthese
efforts, wesalute theDirector-General whohasapproached hisduties asDirector-General withan
original vision which hasemphasized themaintenance oftheintegrity ofthetrading system andthe
integrationofthedevelopingcountriesintothesystem.WealsopaytributetoAmbassadorJohnWeekes,
Chairman oftheGeneral Council forhisleadership oftheCouncil since hiselection inthemonth of
January, thisyear.
Thisisahistoric moment intheevolution ofthetrading system anchored ontheWorld Trade
Organization. Trade liberalization, under therulesanddisciplines ofthemultilateral trading system,
hasdriven thesignificant increases inglobal andnational incomes, wealth andprosperity, inthepast
50years. Thebenefits ofthelast50years havenot,however, beenlimited tomere increases in
economic prosperity. Inaddition, theworld hasalsoreaped thedividends ofpeace andstability in
thesystem ofinternational relations.
Nonetheless, there arechallenges ofthemoment totheviability andintegrity ofthetrading
system. These challenges aretoensure theincrease andsustainability ofeconomic prosperity, amore
evenandequitable distribution ofthebenefits ofthemultilateral trading system, thereduction of
marginalization andimpoverishment indeveloping andleast-developed regions oftheworld and,to
thatend,ensure thefullintegration ofdeveloping andleast-developed countries intothetrading system.
Inconsequence, itis,therefore, anurgent necessity thatthetrading system isfullyresponsive and
sensitive totheneeds ofallmembers ofthetrading system, bothgreat andsmall.
Mr.Chairman, against thebackground ofourexperience attheWTO initsfourth yearof
existence, fivekeyissues areofcardinal importance toNigeria atthissecond session oftheMinisterial
Conference. First, re-emphasizing ourcommitment totherulesanddisciplines ofthetrading systemWT/MIN(98)/ST/38
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and,tothatend,underscoring ourdetermination toimplement ourvoluntarily undertaken contractual
obligations.
Second, ourconcerns withtheuneven distribution ofthebenefits ofthetrading system, the
marginalization ofcountries andtheslowpaceofintegration, thelimited effects oftechnical assistance
andtheinsufficiency ofSandDprovisions foraddressing theseproblems. These problems andconcerns
aresources ofinstability tothestructure ofthetrading system. Theyneedtobeaddressed andproperly
managed.
Third, theurgent andvitalnecessity ofstrengthening thedevelopment dimension inWTO
Agreements, inthework oftheSecretariat, andinthemultilateral trading system asawhole. The
integration ofthedevelopment dimension inthework oftheWTO isbased onthelogic andthe
recognition that,although tradeisthemajor engine ofgrowth andprosperity, therelationship between
trade andprosperity isnotautomatic unless thisrelationship ismediated byappropriate, creative and
formally adopted andapplied developmental policies. Inthisregard, theWTO should domore.
Fourth,greaterrealityandmeaninghavetobeaccordedtocoherenceinglobaleconomicpolicies
pursuanttoArticleIII(5)oftheWTOAgreement.Beyondthemaintenanceofobserverstatusatmeetings
ofeachother, thethreeOrganizations namely, theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), theWorld Bank
(IBRD), andtheWorld Trade Organization (WTO), should nowcommence inadeliberate andformal
mannertoaddresstheproblemsofcountriesinteractivelyandcoherentlyaswasenvisionedintheHavana
Charter. Theresponse tothecrisis inthecurrency andcapital markets ofSouth EastAsia, thelimited
results ofthedelivery ofintegrated technical assistance totheleast-developed andother Developing
countries,andthecontinuingtrade-relatedeconomicproblemsofmanymembersoftheWTOdemonstrate
veryclearly therequirement formeaningful economic policy coherence bytheWTO, theWorld Bank
andtheIMFforintegrating trade, development andfinancial policies respectively. Thesearch for
thiseconomic coherence mayrequire thecreation ofanewover-arching institution.
Fifth, theurgent necessity fortheOrganization toassist African countries indeveloping capacity
foreffective participation inthedispute settlement system oftheWorld Trade Organization, andto
takeappropriatemeasurestorectifytheanomalyofthevirtualabsenceofindividualAfricansaspanellists
indispute settlement andinmembership oftheAppellate Body. Addressing thisconcern isallthe
more urgent inthelightofthefactthatpanel rulings andAppellate Body decisions arenowbeginning
tofillpolicy gapsandlegallacuna inareas where themembership havenotbeenabletolegislate or
adopt policy, suchasintheareaoftradeandenvironment, andother tradepolicy areasthatmayfollow.
Reviewing thepastandpreviewing thefuture, these, Mr.Chairman, arethecentral issues of
importance fortheNigerian delegation atthissession oftheMinisterial Conference. Letmenowaddress
several concrete issues thatbearonpractical aspects ofthetrade policy negotiations attheWTO in
theyearunder review.
WewelcometheReportoftheDirector-GeneralontheOutcomeandFollow-uptotheHigh-Level
Meeting onIntegrated Initiatives forLeast-Developed Countries 'Trade Development contained in
document WT/MIN(98)/2. Wearesatisfied with theefforts expended byourdistinguished
Director-General, thusfar.Westrongly endorse theproposals contained inthatReport inparticular
inparagraphs 5and6.Nigeria expresses thehope thattheresults oftheHigh-Level Meeting for
Least-DevelopedAfricancountrieswillbeextendedtootherdevelopingAfricancountries.Furthermore,
wecallontheOrganization andtheSecretariat toprovide focused andtargeted technical assistance
toassist African countries intheimplementation oftheirobligations inWTO Agreements, particularly
insuchareas astheAgreements onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures (SPS), Technical Barriers
toTrade (TBT), etc.Inthisregard also, theassistance toAfrican countries andtheircontinuingWT/MIN(98)/ST/38
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integration intothemultilateral trading system willbeaccelerated byincreased market access inspecific
areas ofexport interest toourcountries.
Nigerialikeotherdevelopingcountriesisemphasizingtheneedforimplementationoftheexisting
WTO Agreements taking intoconsideration ourexperiences, difficulties, aswellasaspirations.
Implementation problems suchasrealigning national lawsinlinewiththeWTO Agreements, lackof
technicalexpertise,lackofmarketaccess,impositionoftariffandnon-tariffbarriers,SPSconsiderations,
problems ofcapacity building, among others areissues ofconcern tomycountry which should be
addressed. Nigeria ’sposition isthattheabove named implementation issues should begiven greater
attention rather thanrushing intoorundertaking newones, without prejudice tothecontinuation of
discussion oftheBuilt-In-Agenda items.
Nigeria continues toattach importance tosecuring theinflow ofForeign Direct Investment
(FDI) intooureconomy inorder toincrease thecapital base,access tomodern technology, andexpertise,
allofwhich arerequired forthecountry ’saccelerated economic development. Thisiswhywehave
accorded great interest totheexchange ofinformation andeducational process thatistaking place in
theWorking Group onTrade andInvestment. Itisourhopethatwork willcontinue inapaced manner,
thattheagenda willbecomprehensive andbalanced andwilltakeaccount oftheconcerns ofallcountries
andallinterests, including those whoconsider thatinvestments should undertake environmental impact
assessments andbeenvironment-friendly inorder toensure sustainability oftrade anddevelopment.
TheWTO willbecome universally relevant andcentral toglobal economic policy coherence
whenthosecountrieswhichareundergoingaccessionnegotiationsbecomeMembersoftheOrganization.
Therefore, itisnecessary toaccelerate theseaccession negotiations, applying thesimilar entrystandards,
rights andobligations toallapplicants. Inourview, itisnecessary thatthesame standards, rights
andobligations apply toall,taking account oftheOrganizations 'positions ontheneedtorecognize
different levels ofdevelopment. Weurgethatitmaybecome necessary toestablish standard time-frames
foraccession negotiations inorder toensure thatsuchnegotiations arebrisk, businesslike andinsulated
from bilateral orinternational politics.
Thepastfewyears haveseentheproliferation ofRegional Trading Arrangements (RTAs),
aphenomenon thatgaverisetotheestablishment oftheCommittee onRegional Trading Arrangements
attheWTO. There havebeendualreactions ofwelcome totheestablishment totheincrease inregional
economic arrangements andfreetrade areas aswellasanxiety. While welcoming trade liberalization
andthereduction ofbarriers totrade within defined economic spaces, there isalsoincipient concern
thattheyshould notbecome economic fortresses against those outside. ThisiswhyNigeria hasjoined
withthose whouphold andunderscore theprimacy ofthemultilateral trading system overandabove
regional trading arrangements andfreetrade areas. Freetrade areas mustbecomplementary to,and
bestepping-stones andnotstumbling-blocks totheuniversal objective ofatrulyglobal multilateral
trading system operating onthedisciplines andrules ofthetrading system.
Thetrade andenvironment relationship havebecome afundamental aspect ofthework ofthe
World Trade Organization. Furthermore ofcrucial importance, civilsociety attheglobal leveland
inmanycountriesaresubjectingtheWTOtoanenvironmentaltestbothintheimplementationofexisting
agreements andthenegotiation ofnewonesasadeterminer ofaccording orwithdrawing support to
theOrganization. Notwithstanding thepeculiar contractual nature oftherelations amongst countries
attheWTO, theOrganization must besensitive tosignals from theprivate sector andcivilsociety
atlarge.
Accordingly, thereisaneedtotakeaccount ofenvironmental considerations intheformulation
oftrade policy. Indoing so,theobjective should beenvironmental protection, thepursuit ofoptimal
policies ofsustainable development andstrongly resisting cases where environmental considerationsWT/MIN(98)/ST/38
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areusedasnon-tariff barriers. Wewelcome thework inthepastthreeandhalfyears intheCommittee
onTradeandEnvironment(CTE)inwhichNigeriahasparticipatedmostactivelythroughthepresentation
ofpapers andformal reactions toproposals byother delegations. WeurgetheCTEtocontinue with
itsanalysis ofthecomplexities oftrade andenvironment relationships withaview toproposing
recommendations, attheappropriate time, fortheconsideration oftheOrganization asawhole, when
found necessary.
Inclosing, Mr.Chairman, thepurpose andtheobjectives oftheWTO areclearly contained
inthePreamble totheMarrakesh Agreement. Pursuant tothatPreamble, Nigeria emphasizes the
necessity ofincorporating thedevelopment dimension inthework oftheOrganization andinthework
oftheSecretariat. IftheOrganization isrelevant indirectly assisting ourcountries toaddress the
challengestodevelopment,increaseinemployment,reductionofpoverty,eliminationofmarginalization,
andthepursuit ofoptimally sustainable development policies while, atthesame time, accelerating
theincrease inournational incomes andprosperity, thenourexpectations ofthisOrganization would
havebeenmet. TheOrganization hasbegun withassisting ourcountries inachieving these goals, but
somuch more needs tobedonewithcreativity, withvision, androbust imagination.
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