STATEMENT FOR THE PRESS FROM CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIFTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION, 10-14 SEPTEMBER 2003, CANCUN, MEXICO

Today the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico, at which all Caribbean Countries were present, ended without agreement on the many key issues. Billed as a Conference to advance the Doha Development Round of Trade Negotiations, the Conference collapsed on the key issues for developing countries such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access, small economies and special and differential treatment, as well as on the so-called Singapore issues – investment, government procurement, competition policy and trade facilitation measures.

The November 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference had agreed that these issues would only be pursued after explicit consensus on modalities for their negotiation. No such consensus was reached. Caribbean countries and other Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the LDCs group, and the African Union strongly opposed the launch of negotiations on the Singapore Issues.

Caribbean countries, whose key interests are in the areas of small economies, special and differential treatment, services, agriculture and non-agricultural market access, were strong in their determination to have these development issues given priority consideration, consistent with the Doha Declaration and Decisions for a Development Round. There was little or no progress in these issues.

In bringing the Conference to a close, WTO Ministers instructed their officials to continue working on the outstanding issues in Geneva with a renewed sense of urgency and commitment, taking into account all the views expressed in Cancun. To this end they instructed the General Council to convene at Senior Officials level no later than December 15, 2003, to take the action necessary at that stage to move the process forward to a successful and timely conclusion.

Caribbean delegations share the general sense of disappointment at the limited achievements of the Conference in spite of the best efforts of the hosts. Our Ambassadors and regional negotiators must therefore with resolve continue to engage their counterparts in Geneva and maintain their continuing active role in the process to advance the development interests of the region.

Finally, the Caribbean delegation would like to express their appreciation for the efforts of the Chair and for the hospitality extended by the Government and people of Mexico.