WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/360
20 July 2000
(00-3000)
Original:  English/
French/
Spanish
X SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
OF THE GROUP OF FIFTEEN*
Cairo, Egypt
19-20 June 2000
Communication from Egypt
The following Joint Communiqué has been rece ived from the Permanent Mission of Egypt,
with the request that it be circulated to Members.
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JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the Group of Fifteen, meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on
19 and 20 June 2000 for our Tenth Summit, jointly reviewed global developments at the beginning of
the XXI Century and prospects for the South.  Guided by a culture of peace and  development
cooperation, we are determined to create a better future for our countries and peoples and to worktowards the establishment of a fair international economic system based on justice and democracy.
Within this context and taking into account the outcomes of  major international and regional
conferences held in the nineties as well as the first months of the Millennium, particularly the South
Summit, UNCTAD X, the Non-Aligned Ministerial Conference and the G-24 Meeting, we undertook
an appraisal of the work done by the Group since its establishment in 1989.  The Millennium Summitin New York in September 2000 should influence the framework and content of international
cooperation to take into account concerns of developing countries.
2. The G-15 was born at a time of growing optimism in international relations.  The end of the
Cold War reduced longstanding political hostilities and raised expectations for genuine cooperation
within the community of nations.   There was renewed hope for integrating many developing countries
into the world economy, and the promise of growth and significant reductions in poverty levels, after
the lost years of the 1980s.  Rapid technological changes and more open markets were leading to new
ways of organizing global business with the prospect of greater opportunities for producers from the
developing world.  The belief was widespread that a new international architecture could be designed
to meet the challenges of this more closely integrated world.
                                                     
* Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico,
Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.WT/L/360
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3. Today, as we celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of the Group of Fifteen, our desire is renewed
to see a more harmonious and prosperous world economy in which the developing countries
overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities created by globalization.  Since the early nineties,
the phenomenon of globalizing economic activities has led to increased interdependence around the
globe, affecting virtually every domain of human activity.  At the outset, it was our conviction thatglobalization would lead to the securing  of better standards of living and the realization of the
development objectives of our peoples, thus spreading prosperity all over the world.  This has not
materialized, and we are convinced that it will not until the international community redresses the
asymmetries and imbalances in the global economy.
4. We remain concerned with the pattern of international economic relations.  Growth in the
developing world slowed from an average of 6 per cent to almost 2 per cent in 1998, and for the first
time in ten years was lower than that of developed countries.  The instability of the internationalfinancial system requires urgent remedial measures.
5. Integrating developing countries into the world economy will result in increased market size,
competition and opportunities for  technology transfer to these countries.  Gains arising from the
ongoing liberalization process will benefit both developing and developed countries.  However, to
ensure such benefits for developing countries, the multilateral trading system should operate in amanner that is open, equitable, rule-based and non-discriminatory.  It must take into account the
development dimension in multilateral trade negotiations.  There is a need to strengthen such
instruments as special and differential treatment provisions and to make them operational so as to
promote the interests of developing countries.  Special attention should be given to addressing the
problems faced by developing countries in the implementation of their WTO obligations.  We note thenegotiations 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 of accession
should be in accordance with the WTO Agreements, including the special and differential treatment
provisions.
6. The growing protectionist tendencies in the industrial countries manifested, inter alia , by
attempts to introduce non-trade issues in multilateral trade negotiations and the application of non-
tariff barriers, anti-dumping duties and anti-subsidy investigations need to be checked.  We express
our satisfaction with the initiation of the mandated negotiations in the Built-In Agenda.  In agriculture,
the objective should be to incorporate the sector within normal WTO rules, taking into account the
need of developing countries for food security, particularly the net food importing and the least
developed among them.   Within the framework of the GATS, particular effort should be made to
liberalize sectors and modes of supply of interest to developing countries. While the capital marketshave been liberalised , including in developing countries, there has hardly been any progress in the
opening of labour markets in developed nations.   In this regard, we urge that there should be a freer
movement of natural persons, an area in the provision of services in which developing countries have
a comparative advantage in the global economy.
7. We attach high priority to full and effectiv e implementation of the WTO Agreements in a
manner consistent with the goal of trade liberalization.  We express concern at unilateral trade
measures being resorted to on grounds of environmental protection.  Non-trade issues such as labour
standards, proposed by some developed countries, shall not be introduced in, or linked to the WTO
Agenda.  We reject all attempts to use such issues as disguised forms of protectionism and as
conditions for restricting market access, aid and/or technology flows to developing countries.  Weexpress our concern on the deterioration of preferential schemes, especially the imposition of new
conditionalities, such as labour and environmental standards, on developing countries in the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).WT/L/360
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8. The Tenth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
(UNCTAD X), held in Bangkok in February, unders cored the importance of integrated development
strategies in an increasingly interdependent world.  We emphasize the important role of UNCTAD in
assisting developing countries in capacity building and in ensuring that future trade negotiations take
fully into account the development dimension.   An important challenge for the international
community is to secure the integration of all developing countries into the rapidly changing world
economy and to reduce the risk of their marginalization particularly in the case of least-developed
countries and small economies.
9. Since our Seventh Summit in Kuala Lumpur we have been reviewing the effects of the
financial crisis in East and South East Asia, while witnessing the continuing absence of effective
measures at the global level for dealing with that financial instability caused by short term capital
flows, hedge funds, and highly leveraged financial institutions.  We stress the need for maintainingstrong national and international monetary and financial systems.  The widespread turbulence in the
financial markets of emerging economies and the resulting contagion made clear the need to
strengthen the architecture of the international financial system.  Crisis predictability, including
through an early warning system is needed to ensure a more stable, manageable, transparent and
development-oriented international financial system.  Importantly, an  equitable sharing of the cost of
crisis resolution between public and private sectors should be part of the crisis prevention and
resolution scheme. Furthermore, the participation and equitable representation of developing countries
is required in  the efforts devoted to the comprehensive reform of the international financial system
and its institutions.  In this regard, we welcome coordination between the Group of Fifteen and the
Group of Twenty-Four.
10. We recognize that durable solutions to the external debt burden of developing countries will
contribute substantially to economic growth and development and  to the strengthening of the global
economy.  In this context, we welcome all the in itiatives for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) launched by the Group of Seven, the World Bank and the IMF.  However, the HIPC initiative
and the enhancement thereof, with their various conditions, are not sufficient to contribute effectivelyto national efforts at eradicating poverty or to improving the international environment for
development financing, and do not inject fresh funds for economic and social development in the
countries concerned.  In stressing the need to improve and broaden the HIPC initiative, we call for
substantive measures that include debt and debt-service reduction, and the write-off of unpayable
debts of such countries, as appropriate.  We express serious concern about the debt problems of
middle-income heavily indebted countries and non-HIPC low income countries, and urge that
consideration be given to alleviating their debt burdens.
11. External capital flows for development remain a critical means for our countries to generate
sustained economic growth and sustainable development.   In this context, the decline in the level of
Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a matter of serious concern and has to be reversed.
Hence, we call upon industrialized countries to strengthen their efforts to meet the United Nations
agreed target of 0.7 per cent of GDP for overall ODA, and the target of 0.15 per cent to 0.2 per centfor flows to the Least-Developed Countries (LDCs).  The role of ODA is crucial in financing basic
physical infrastructure and capacity-building in some developing countries, especially LDCs. We fully
support the convening of the 3
rd UN conference on the Least-Developed Countries in Brussels in the
year 2001, and call for the effective preparation of that conference so that it will yield a meaningful
outcome.
12. There is broad recognition of the benefits of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a source of
increased productivity, transfer of technology, innovative organizational and management practices
and integration in the world economy.  In recent years, FDI flows to developing countries have
significantly increased but they have been limited to a few countries.  An enabling international
environment can help to ensure that national investment policy instruments yield better results inWT/L/360
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terms of investment flows and their developmenta l impact.  Home-country and host-country measures
should be implemented in order to mobilize FDIs, to channel them into productive investment and to
foster private sector-led development.  But it should be recognized that  reliance on FDIs alone  will
not guarantee that developing countries will  resolve difficulties related to deficits in their balances of
payments, the debt burden and inadequate resources for activities such as  the provision of publicinfrastructure and human development.
13. The convening of a High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting on Financing for Development in
the year 2001 is an opportunity to address national, international and systemic issues relating to
development financing.  This should be done in a spirit of global partnership, shared responsibilities
and mutual benefits in the context of globalization and interdependence.  The high level meeting
should also address the mobilization of financial resources for the full implementation of relevant
decisions of major international conferences and summits.  The success of such an event will dependto a great extent, on the effective participation and contributions of relevant multilateral institutions,
including the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO.
14. We acknowledge the extent to which great advances in the fields of communications and
technology have led to the emergence of a new global economy and information society, compelling
countries and regions of the world to urgently adopt new strategies to enhance their competitivenessthrough improved access to global information netw orks.  Narrowing the technological gap will speed
up the integration of developing countries into the world economy, since information technology has
gained tremendous importance for promoting trade.  To enhance the productive base of developing
countries, developed countries should provide incentives for promoting and encouraging technology
transfer to developing countries on preferential terms.  We affirm that support for knowledge-baseddevelopment is imperative for the effective participation of developing countries in the world
economy.
15. We recognize the important role that the private sector is playing in our economies and its
contribution to sustained economic growth.  The role of Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs)
must  be emphasized as they contribute significantly to employment generation, poverty alleviation
and development.  In this context, we stress the role of the state in facilitating the creation of an
enabling environment which makes it possible for the private sector, particularly the SMEs, to
develop and improve their competitiveness.
16. While recognizing the contributions of transnatio nal corporations (TNCs) to the growth of our
economies, we call on them to take into account the development objectives of developing countries
in their business strategies.  In this context, we  invite the relevant in ternational institutions,
particularly the UNCTAD, UNIDO, ILO and the WTO, to study within their respective mandates, themerger and acquisition trend and its impact on employment and the competitiveness of SMEs in
developing countries.
17. We express concern regarding the growing problem of unemployment in most developing
countries, a problem that has been worsened by the recent financial crisis.  Unemployment affects the
socio economic fabric of societies.  This is most acute in countries of the South where more thanone billion people are unemployed and the associated problem of underemployment is prevalent.  At a
time of dwindling government tax revenues as a result of austerity measures and the demands of
stabilization policies, social safety-nets and other appropriate measures should be strengthened in
order to address rising unemployment, massive poverty and income fluctuation.  In this context , we
recognize the importance of both FDI and domestic investment in increasing employment andgenerating income, including the support for small and medium enterprises.
18. We recall the G-15 initiative to the ILO under the caption "Comprehensive Employment
Strategy", which seeks to ensure the development of policies geared towards stable economic growthWT/L/360
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and social development.  We reiterate the urgency for the ILO to design such a strategy so as to
stimulate employment creation in all developing countries as a follow-up to the Declaration and
Programme of Action of the Copenhagen Summit on Social Development.   In doing so, the ILO
should also analyze the social and economic impact of the financial crisis on the informal sector of the
economies of the countries concerned, particularly on vulnerable sectors, and should undertake furtherstudies on the impact of the crisis of financial markets on the various programs for poverty alleviation
in developing countries.
19. Within the context of the overall action for the eradication of poverty, special attention should
be given to the multidimensional nature of poverty and the national and international conditions and
policies that are conducive to its eradication by, inter alia, investing in human resources, training and
education, and fostering the social and economic integration of people living in poverty, thus
empowering them to participate in decision-making w ith regard to the policies that affect them, the
promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to
development.
20. We call for renewed efforts at all levels to implement fully and effectively the relevant
resolutions, decisions, agreements and commitments adopted at major United Nations conferences
and at meetings of relevant regional financial institutions relating to the eradication of poverty.  In thiscontext, we urge specific and speedy fulfilment of  the commitments of the international community in
regard to improving social conditions, particularly, in the areas of health, education, training and
employment.  The goal of reducing by 50 per cent the proportion of the world’s population living in
extreme poverty by the year 2015 should be met.
21. Cooperation and coordination among developing countries foster solidarity and mutual
support.  Such  cooperation among G-15 and other developing countries contributes to collective self-
reliance and to concerted and effective action in global and regional fora.  We are determined to
strengthen preferential arrangements such as the Global System of Trade Preferences among
Developing Countries (GSTP), as appropriate, in cluding negotiating its Third Round.  We stress the
importance of regional trade agreements for developing countries in order to achieve higher levels ofdevelopment and to enhance South-South cooperation.   G-15 projects and other cooperative
endeavours need to be further promoted in order to strengthen  interdependence among developing
countries.
22. We welcome the proclamation of  the year 2000 as the year of Small and Medium Size
Enterprises.  We stress the need for a concrete and clear strategy to promote SMEs in our countries, in
cooperation with the relevant international organizations.  We invite the private sector as well as all
relevant national agencies to make inputs in this regard.  We commend the assistance given byUNCTAD to facilitate  the conclusion of many bilateral agreements on investment promotion and
guarantees and on the avoidance of double taxation among G-15 member countries.  We welcome also
the strengthening of technical, scientific and technological cooperation among G-15 countries and the
increasing application and use of information technology networks among member countries.
23. Reference was made to the G-77 Havana Declar ation and Programme of Action as well as to
a decision of the South Summit to transform the South Centre into a Coordinating Commission.
24. We encourage continued and constructive dialogue and interaction with the industrialized
countries,  particularly  the G8, with a view to establishing genuine partnership.  We welcome the start
since 1999 of dialogue between our Personal Representatives and the G8 Sherpa, covering a wide
range of issues of mutual interest to the two group s.  We look forward to pursuing the dialogue at a
ministerial level.  The outcome of the South Summit held in Havana, Cuba from 10 to 14 April 2000
constitutes an important contribution to the enha ncement of North-South relations to support the
development objectives of developing countries.WT/L/360
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25. 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 and
development.  We therefore strongly condemn all kinds of terrorism, their perpetrators and all those
who support them under whatever guise.  We call for strengthening international cooperation in orderto combat terrorism.  The Member States welcome the adoption of the International Convention on
the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism by the United Nations General Assembly in
December 1999 and urge all States to sign and ratify this Convention at the earliest to ensure its early
entry into force.  We call for urgent conclusion and the effective implementation of a Comprehensive
Convention on International Terrorism.  We support Egypt's initiative for convening an International
Conference to Address Terrorism and Cross-Border Organized Crime as called for by the United
Nations General Assembly Resolution A/54/615.
26. We reiterate our adherence to the commitment of making all necessary efforts to tackle the
international drugs problem in a comprehensive way, in recognition of the principle of shared
responsibility in the efforts to overcome the said scourge.  We recommend to those States which have
not done so yet, to adopt for the year 2003, legislations and national programmes regarding money
laundering, in accordance with the objectives established in the Political Declaration of theXX Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the international drugs problem
in 1998, and to adopt programmes in accordance with relevant provisions of the United Nations
Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.
27. We recognize the negative impact of illicit trafficking of small and light arms on conflict
proliferation.  In this context, we support fully the convening of the United Nations Conference on theIllicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the year 2001.
28. We reiterate our support for the initiative of the Group of 77 on the resolution entitled
"Prevention of corrupt practices and illegal transfer  of funds", adopted by the United Nations General
Assembly at its 54
th Session.  We support the call in that resolution for increased cooperation at
various levels, including the United Nations system, to devise ways and means of preventing andaddressing the illegal transfer of funds and repatriation of illegally transferred funds to their countries
of origin.  To this end, we reiterate the call of  the South Summit for the United Nations to commence
preparatory work for the elaboration of a Convention on this matter.
29. Our deliberations and discussions in the Tenth Summit have led to the following conclusions
and recommendations:
At the international level:
(a) Globalization should ensure:  development with less poverty and deprivation, raising of
standards of living with less disparity among  nations;  integration of  all developing countries
into the international economy  on a fair and equitable basis;  economic growth  with less
environmental destruction;  democratization of international relations and respect for and
promotion of all human rights, including the right to development.
(b) We reaffirm the central role that the United Nations and its Agencies play as we strive for
closer cooperation and solidarity among developing countries so as to realize higher standards
of living for our peoples;  a revitalized United Nations should provide a forum for promoting
global development with equity and a human face;  in this context there should be fullimplementation of the Declaration and Prog ramme of Action of the Copenhagen World
Summit for Social Development with special emphasis on the needs of developing countries
in regard to employment, education, vocational and technical training, and mobilization ofWT/L/360
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resources for social development as a whole.  New sources of financing should be mobilized
for poverty eradication.
(c) The IMF should act effectively and in the interest of all countries , including in crisis
situations;  and in particular we call for equitable representation and participation ofdeveloping countries in international decision making and standard setting processes in the
multilateral institutions, including the reform of the international financial system.
(d) The World Trade Organization (WTO) must ensure fair international trade and take full
account of the interests of developing countries particularly through the implementation of
special and differential treatment provisions;  developing countries should be assisted in
strengthening their capacities  to make full use of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism
such as through the Advisory Center on WTO law.  Non-trade issues such as labour
standards, proposed by some developed countries, shall not be introduced in, or linked to the
WTO Agenda.
(e) Donor countries should accelerate  their efforts in providing debt relief and should attain the
objective for Official Development Assistance (ODA) of 0.7 per cent of their GDP.
(f) Adoption of urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral coercive
economic measures against developing countries not  authorized by relevant organs of the
United Nations or inconsistent with the principl es of international law as set forth in the
Charter of the United nations;
(g) We reiterate the call of the South Summit for the United Nations to commence preparatory
work for the elaboration of a Convention on prevention of corruption and illegal transfer of
funds.
(h) We recognize and support the call by several developing countries for the urgent need to re-
examine and deepen current debt relief strategies to encompass effective debt relief and write-
off of their debt, so as to ensure sustained economic growth and sustainable development.
At the regional level:
(a) Intraregional cooperation amongst developing countries should be intensified and, in this
context, G-15 financial institutions should seek to strengthen regional and subregional
cooperation in order to promote intra G-15 trade and investment.
(b) Intra G-15 trade should be promoted and should include, as appropriate, the
operationalization of preferential treatment, including GSTP, to facilitate trade among
G-15 countries with the support of UNCTAD and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
(c) G-15 and other developing countries should strengthen the institutional framework of their
cooperation in order to ensure effective coordination of their positions and strategies ininternational fora;
(d) Regional and intraregional cooperation and co ordination should take place among developing
countries through their groups, such as the G-77, G-24 and G-15 with a view to strengthening
their dialogue with the G8 and other industrialized countries in order to ensure theconsistency and universality of economic policy measures and the design and implementation
of an improved international financial architecture.WT/L/360
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30. We strongly support the efforts which are exerted towards concluding a just and
comprehensive peace in the Middle East so that all the States of the region could devote their human
and material resources to social and economic development.
31. We agreed to accept the formal request of the Islamic Republic of Iran to become a member
of the Group of Fifteen and to invite the Islamic Republic of Iran to the XI Summit in Indonesia.Concerning the former request of Colombia fo r membership to the Group, we agree to accept
Colombia as a member, should it decide to renew its request to become a member of the Group, and
in that case Colombia would also be invited to the XI
th Summit.  We directed our Personal
Representatives to examine issues related to G-15 membership, including expansion, as well as the
methods of work, and ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Group, and submit
recommendations to that effect to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
32. We welcome with appreciation the generous offers of the Government of Indonesia to host
the Eleventh Summit of the Group of Fifteen in 2001 and of the Government of Venezuela to host the
Twelfth Summit in 2002.
33. We express our thanks and appreciation to the people, the Head of State, and Government of
Egypt for their generous hospitality and the excellent arrangements made for hosting the Tenth
Summit meeting of the Group of Fifteen.
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