Published: 22 February 2012

Statement Delivered by Mr. Andreas Wickham

at the Plenary of the Eight Session of the WTO Ministerial Conference

Mr. Chairman
Ministers
Ambassadors
Ladies and Gentlemen

First let me join others in thanking the Government and People of Switzerland for the hospitality that they have shown and the arrangements that they have made in hosting this conference for the second consecutive session in Geneva.

Secondly Chair I would like to associate with the statements delivered St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda and those to be delivered by my colleagues from Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis all of whom have emphasised various elements of the themes to be addressed in this conference as I will on the DDA negotiations.

When the Doha Development Agenda was launched at the Fourth Ministerial Conference we set out hope high maybe in retrospect too high, with the knowledge that development was at the heart Doha mandate and that a development outcome in each negotiating area was the raison d’être of the round.

For this reason Chair we are concerned at the current impasse.  There is even more reason to be concerned, since it would that the first round of multilateral trade negotiations history of the multilateral trading system which could possible fail may be the round meant for developing countries.  We are also deeply concerned at apparent attempts to weaken the development ambition of the DDA.

Mr. Chairman St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the rest of the OECS are not the cause of the current stalemate; neither do we hold the solution to moving the negotiations forward.   We are too small and inconsequential in international trade terms for that to be the case.

Mr. Chairman it is however  important for this conference to understand and appreciate we have individually and collectively invested significant human, financial and political capital over the last ten years, to identify and advance our trade and development interests in the DDA negotiations and therefore have great interest in the successful conclusion of the round in the shortest possible time.  This is even more imperative within the current global economic crisis which has negatively impacted our countries.

In so many ways Mr. Chairman, we have been waiting on the sidelines for the bigger players to resolve their differences so that the talks can advance and we can once again seek to advance our interests and reap the promised development dividend of the round.  We are growing tired of waiting and we call on key players to demonstrate the required leadership and political will, commensurate with their participation in global trade, to bring the negotiations out of the current doldrums and to arrive at the right balance of rights and obligations that reflects the varied levels of development within this organisation.

Recognising that what we need now from this conference is clear political guidance and direction and a precise roadmap for concluding the round, allow me to highlight our key perspectives on the way forward for the DDA.

First I wish to emphasise that my delegation sees the conclusion of the DDA as a total package.  It is a package based on the Doha mandate and reaffirmed and reinforced at Hong Kong Ministerial and in the July Package.  Furthermore it is a package containing different elements of a single undertaking.  While we can accept an operationalisation of Doha paragraph 47 we cannot accept a breaking of the single undertaking.  Any early harvest or early implementation must be linked to a clear identification of when and how the endgame for the remaining elements will be reached.

Secondly we wish to express caution in any exploration of new negotiating approaches in seeking to break the logjam.  The current impasse is not one of process but of substance.  It is imperative for small countries like ours that the fundamental negotiating principles of consensus, full participation, transparency, and inclusiveness are not undermined.  All decisions in the negotiations must be made within the multilateral processes and our countries must immediately and fully benefit from all concessions granted in these multilateral negotiations.

Finally chair advances in the negotiations must build on progress already made.  It is important for my delegation gains made by the SVEs, ACP and other groups in which we are a part are secured.  I must also state that these do not represent the totality of our expectations in the round and we look forward to gains in pending areas in fisheries subsidies, the SSM, domestic regulations, special and differential treatment to name a few.

Thank you.

Published: 20 August 2010

In his opening remarks, the Honourable Minister welcomed the audience and congratulated the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andreas Wickham for organizing his first consultation.

The Minister commended the overseas missions for their work despite the many institutional challenges confronting St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He outlined the successes achieved in various programmes and policies through the work of the missions. The missions have provided assistance in the areas of ;- - culture, agriculture, tourism, foreign investors, education and health institutions and bringing together Vincentians in the Diaspora and to provide updates on the current events in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In his speech he highlighted a number of areas of accomplishment with special emphasis on the role of the overseas representation.Highlighted among these are:

• Their instrumentality in mobilizing resources to provided assistance to the various economic sectors of SVG, as well as engaging the nationals in the Diasporas.


• Emblazoning the name of SVG around the world, thereby giving it international recognition and respect.The recent bid for SVG’s membership in the UN Security Council for the year 2020 is testimony of this fact.


• Exercising the powerful voice of SVG and the region for reform of the UN Security Council; and speaking out forcefully on major issues of international concern such as climate change, energy, crime and special treatment for SIDS and small economies.


• Representing 120 developing countries in the special UN Conference on the economic and financial crisis as coordinator.


• Removing the name of SVG from the OECD grey list by negotiating and signing Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) with several countries.

The Minister further informed that in keeping with the foreign policy thrust of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Government has maintained very strong and cordial relationship with old traditional allies such as the UK, USA, Canada, Japan and Taiwan, and have forged stronger ties with friendly countries such as Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Turkey, Australia, Libya, Iran and Malaysia.

It is through the foreign policy initiative, he stated that SVG has seen the benefits of scholarships, financial and technical assistance for Low income Homes, cheaper energy and lower price LPG; the Rabacca Bridge, Cross Country Road, the YES Program, the Library Complex, Vision Now Programme, the modern diagnostic centre and the construction of the Argyle International Airport. He made mention of efforts by the Overseas missions and Consulates and members of the Diaspora in helping Vincentiansat home in need of educational and medical assistance.

He further pointed out that due to the lack of resources to establish diplomatic missions in various capitals of the world, honorary consuls have been appointed to serve the country’s interests, and to them the country owes a debt of gratitude.

In the Hon. Minister’s overview of the international trade policy of SVG, he stated that SVG is a member of the WTO and participates in all conferences to conclude the Doha Development Round of Negotiations.

Minister Straker also gave an update on the status of implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union, and outlined the actions that have already been undertaken by the Department of Trade following the development and approval of an EPA implementation roadmap. He indicated that an EPA Coordinator has been appointed, and a number of sensitization workshops have been conducted and others scheduled for stakeholders in various sectors of the economy. Nonetheless, he stated that a number of issues are still outstanding.However, he noted that recent developments at the CARICOM Secretariat to operationalise the EPA Implementation Units will give new impetus for completion of these outstanding issues.

In his update, the Foreign Minister briefed the audience with the status of negotiations for a CARICOM-Canada Trade and Development Agreement of which SVG is involved.At present the agreement is in its draft stages and several meetings have been held at the CARICOM level.In view of the continued negotiations, it is expected that officials from the Office of Trade Negotiations will visit SVG to conduct a national consultation in July 2010.

Published: 03 August 2010

ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, COMMERCE AND TRADE, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES,
THE HONOURABLE SIR LOUIS STRAKER
AT A SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP ON SERVICES  NEGOTIATIONS IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)
AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF  JOACHIM AND ASSOCIATES,
WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY, 2010.

Ladies and Gentlemen, a pleasant good morning.

First let me welcome you the Service Providers in St.Vincent and the Grenadines to this three (3) day sensitization workshop on WTO Services Negotiations.
It would be remiss of me as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Trade of the Government of St.Vincent and the Grenadines if I did not, on behalf of my Government, express my heart felt thanks to the ACP – EU Project Management Unit for responding so quickly to our request for assistance under the Project “Integration of ACP countries’ into the   Multilateral Trading System”.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this Project is designed to integrate the ACP countries like St.Vincent and the Grenadines into the multilateral trading system and support them to reap the benefits of open and freer regional and global markets.

The project’s main purpose is to enhance the participation of the ACP countries in the multilateral trade negotiations and support the implementation of existing WTO Agreements.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this workshop was conceptualized and developed by the Trade Department in my Ministry with strong support from the Commonwealth/EU Hub and Spokes Project’s Trade Policy Analyst, Mr. Gibriel Bah attached to the Ministry.

The relevance of the issues to be discussed over the next three (3) days are issues that support the strengthening of the socio economic development of St.Vincent and the Grenadines in general and the Services sector, in particular, and must be underscored.

Read more ...