   
  
WT/MIN(24)/ST/92  
26 February  2024 
(24-1601) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR DEJAN ŽIDAN  
STATE SECRETARY OF THE ECONOMY, TOURISM AND SPORT  
SLOVENIA  
On behalf of Slovenia, I will start by thanking the United Arab Emirates as our host and the capable 
WTO Secretariat for all the efforts made in organising this Ministerial Conference.   
 
Members created the WTO to foster liberalization of the international trade in goods and services 
within a fair, open, inclusive, rules -based, and non -discriminatory multilateral trading system. We 
created this sys tem 30 years ago with the aim of improving the welfare of people around the world. 
Almost two years have passed since we last met in the ministerial format. In the meantime, the 
world has continued to change, faced with the multifaceted crises. We need to revitalise our approach 
as well, to make our system fit to respond to the dilemmas of the 21st century.  
 
A well -functioning multilateral trading system is of vital importance for Slovenia, an open and 
export -oriented economy, and a Member State of the Eur opean Union. We therefore continue to 
strive for effective multilateral solutions that facilitate trade as a positive contributor to sustainable 
social and economic development.   
 
In this regard, we welcome the new Members to the WTO and support the effort s of the countries 
still in the process of accession, with the focus on Western Balkans, as this would further strengthen 
the Organization.   
 
Slovenia appreciates the follow -up work building on the MC12 outcomes, including fisheries 
subsidies, food securit y, the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions 
(e-moratorium), and especially on the WTO modernization.   
 
The 13th Ministerial Conference of the WTO is an important milestone, where Members should deliver 
a meaningful package of outcomes, showing the WTO reform is on track.  
 
Reforming the dispute settlement system remains a priority, however the core features of the 
mechanism, including the right to appeal as its critical component, must be preserved.   
 
At MC12, we reached a landmark agree ment on disciplining harmful fisheries subsidies worldwide. 
To deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6, and to achieve economic, environmental, 
and social impacts, Slovenia underlines the importance of completing the negotiations on additional 
rules.  
 
On agricultural reform, we are aware of the divergent views in the Membership. The outcome at 
MC13 should focus on global food security challenges, addressing the needs of many vulnerable 
countries in the current crisis. Sustainable food systems a nd resilient agricultural production are part 
of the solution. At MC13, we should provide the political guidance on conducting the negotiations 
towards MC14.  
 
The e -commerce moratorium is important for businesses and consumers around the world, in the 
developed and developing countries alike. It constitutes the WTO's contribution to the digital 
transition globally. Considering this, Slovenia supports extending the e moratorium at MC13 and 
making it permanent in the future.  
 WT/MIN(24)/ST/92  
 
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  In addressing the development, Slovenia supports the needs -based approach and justified 
flexibilities, focusing on the necessities of the developing countries, especially the least developing 
countries.  
 
Slovenia commends the progress made in the plurilateral negotiations based on the Joint Statement 
Initiatives. Especially, the conclusion of the negotiations on the Investment Facilitation for 
Development as well as the Domestic Regulation in Services. We look forward to embedding these 
results in WTO rules, while we continue the effort s for a successful conclusion of the negotiations on 
the electronic commerce. We also acknowledge the progress in other plurilateral formats, such as 
the work on trade and environment, trade and gender, and on MSMEs.   
 
In Abu Dhabi, Members should be able to agree on the way forward in addressing the key issues. 
Until MC14, Members should revive the WTO as the forum for discussing the global adversities 
affecting the multilateral trading system. For example, for deliberating on the links between trade 
and i ndustrial policy, trade and global environmental challenges, trade and inclusiveness. Such 
deliberations can pave the way towards possible rulemaking in the future.  
 
The world is expecting us to deliver at this Ministerial Conference. We must seize the opportunity 
and bring WTO back on track as a rule -maker, and back to relevance as a key regulator within the 
multilateral trading system. Slovenia stands ready to engage constructively and calls on all 
WTO Members to do the same.   
 
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