Brussels, 11 October 2013/ ACP: Ministers responsible for Trade of the ACP Group of States, meeting in Brussels 9-11 October, having considered the status of work on the issues being considered for decision at the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Bali, Indonesia 3-6 December 2013, emphasised the importance of securing a balanced and meaningful outcome in the areas under negotiation.
In keeping with their commitment to a riles based multilateral trading system, they considered a successful outcome in Bali and a clear commitment to a post-Bali work programme that places development at its core to be of vital importance to their member states and the WTO as a whole.
They welcomes the intensification of work led by the Chairman of the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee and stressed the importance of ensuring that these negotiations respect the principles of fairness, inclusiveness and transparency.
They urged all members to show the required flexibilities to achieve consensus in the areas of Development, Least Developed Country issues, Agriculture, and Trade Facilitation and ensure a balanced outcome within and between these pillars. They commended for the consideration of WTO Members, the ACP Group of States position as contained in the ACP Declaration on the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference.
*