The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, says the 9th World Trade Organisation’s Ministerial Conference that is held in Bali, Indonesia, will have a slot to pay tribute to the late President Nelson Mandela during its closing session.
 
In 1998 President Mandela addressed the 50th anniversary of the then General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, which was a predecessor of the current World Trade Organisation (WTO).
 
Minister Davies says that President Mandela by then stated that no amount of rules should be forced on people if there is no justice. Mandela further spoke about a need for an outcome in multilateral trade negotiations that led to the poorest people in the world benefitting from the international trading system.
 
“We think those messages remain absolutely relevant even today, as they underpin what we are trying to do here in Bali, to craft outcomes which will take forward the work programme which supports development and the interests of the poorest countries in the world and the poorest people in those countries. We have been insisting on a development agenda and that the package for the least developed countries be made much more real than what currently is. All this is in line with what former President Mandela stood for. So I think that the passing of Madiba is a great loss to all of us and to the world at large”, he said.
 
Davies stated that to celebrate Madiba’s life, we need to stay true to his ideals, including his
unwavering commitment to justice, equality and a developmental agenda that promotes the needs of the developing countries.
 
“We all have a responsibility to promote freedom and defend democracy in honour of Madiba’s life-long commitment to these ideals. Madiba was a courageous leader, comrade and friend who often took the road less travelled to pursue what he deemed to be right and just. Madiba was an internationalist, a symbol of the worldwide struggle to eradicate injustice and resolve disputes through peaceful means. As we revisit his lifelong contribution to humanity, we should also use it to recommit ourselves to the values and practices he stood for”, added Minister Davies.
 
The Director-General of the WTO, Roberto Azêvedo said that the late President Mandela offered hope for everybody.
 
 “I would like to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela. On behalf of the WTO and the whole membership, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, to the people of South Africa, and to people all over the world whose lives have been touched by his example. He was truly one of a kind — and he offered hope and inspiration to all humankind”, said Azêvedo.
 
Meanwhile, Minister Davies said that in terms of the 9th World Trade Organisation’s Ministerial Conference, there are continuing discussions on a number of outstanding matters with the main one being the public food stock programme for the developing countries.
 
He reiterated that securing an appropriate balance in the outcome of the negotiations is fundamental to the sustainability of the multilateral trading system and future of the WTO.