Mr. President,
Madam General Director,
The WTO faces multiple challenges. Most of the mandates issued by the Ministerial Conferences remain unfulfilled. This has had a negative impact on the credibility of the Organization. Undoubtedly, deep reforms are needed.
We still have a lot of work ahead of us. Unfortunately, we do not see political will from some members to move forward. Others openly attack multilateralism and cling to extreme nationalism and protectionism, which are contrary to the rules of this Organization.
Reforms will have to be carried out in a complex international context, marked by an unfair international economic order that perpetuates inequalities and by a high and extremely harmful level of uncertainty in global trade. Developing countries suffer disproportionately from the worst consequences of the global trade and tariff war promoted by the United States.
Cuba defends a multilateral trading system that is fair, equitable, transparent, and non-discriminatory, without artificial trade barriers.
The WTO reform must contribute to this objective. It should place development at the centre of discussions as a main pillar. For this, to grant Special and Differential Treatment is essential, as it is a legitimate and non-negotiable right.
Likewise, the Reform should contribute to the fulfilment of WTO principles. It will need to address the pending issues in the Agriculture sector, which continue to distort trade, especially for developing countries.
It is necessary to increase inclusivity and effective participation of all Member States, and to strengthen the practice of decision-making by consensus, as established in the Marrakech Agreement.
We take this opportunity to emphasize that we do not support the adoption of new requirements in terms of transparency or notification obligations that create unnecessary additional burdens for our countries, that those who have not been sufficiently transparent in all the Organization's processes either are trying to impose on us.
As a result of the reform, the Appellate Body must be restored as an essential condition to strengthen the WTO system.
When there are joint plurilateral initiatives, these should not imply obligations for the rest of the members until consensus is achieved.
We will need to strengthen the mechanisms to definitively eradicate unilateral coercive measures. Cuba is a small and vulnerable economy, not only because of its limited participation in global trade and its status as a Small Island Developing State, but also due to the severe consequences caused by the illegal and criminal economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government for more than six decades, which has been intensified to unprecedented levels in recent years.
The blockade violates the principles and rules of the multilateral trading system and constitutes the greatest obstacle to the normal development of Cuba's legitimate trade relations with the rest of the world.
Cuba, a founding member of the WTO, will continue to advocate in the context of reform for a multilateral trading system that reduces existing asymmetries, prevents unilateral coercive measures, and promotes sustainable development and collective prosperity, without any exclusion.
Thank you