Third Meeting of Trade Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries
 

21-22 October 2009
Ezulwini, Swaziland

Background

The Third Meeting of Trade Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries took place at a time of an unprecedented economic crisis, which has spared no region or country. All major developed countries have gone through a period of severe recession, and economic growth of the most dynamic developing countries has slowed significantly. Even countries that are marginalized in the international economy, such as most LLDCs, are not de-linked from global events.  It is certainly true that the combined shares of these countries in global trade and FDI flows are very low. But their marginalization in the world economy is associated with high levels of trade integration and high levels of dependence on external financial flows, particularly aid, FDI and remittances, which accelerated the transmission of the crisis effects to LLDCs.

 

It is against this background that the Third Meeting of Trade Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries was convened under the theme "Strengthening Trade Competitiveness in times of global economic crisis – Challenges faced by LLDCs". Trade ministers and senior government officials from LLDCs gathered to take stock of the achievements reached since the Ministerial Meeting in Ulaanbaatar in 2007 and discuss policies and measures on how to tackle best the challenges facing LLDCs in their efforts to reap more benefits from international trade. They adopted the Ezulwini Declaration at the end of two days of intense, interactive discussions. Some of the statements and presentations are made available below.

 

Programme

 

Opening Session

Opening Address: His Excellency The Right Honourable Dr. Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland

Statements:

· HE the Honourable Senator Jabulile Mashwama, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade of Swaziland

 

· HE the Honourable Mr. Hector Lacognata, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay (English)
 
· HE the Honourable Mr Ahmadou Abdoulaye Diallo, Minister of Industry, Investment and Trade of Mali (delivered by Ambassador O. Daou, Permanent Representative of Mali to the United Nations) [only in French]
 
· Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developed Countries, and Small Island Developing States (delivered by Mr. S. Erdenebileg, Chief, Policy Development, Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting Service, UN-OHRLLS)
 
· Ms. Jo Butler, Deputy Director, UNCTAD Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and Special Programmes Division

 

Session 1: The impact of the global economic crisis on the economies of LLDCs

 

Keynote Speech by Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the LDCs, LDCs and SIDS (delivered by Mr. S. Erdenebileg)


Session 2: Policies and measures to improve the trade efficiency of LLDCs

 

Panel presentations:

 

· Skills is the name of the game, Ambassador Rudolf Baerfuss of Switzerland

 

· Trade facilitation policy at national and regional levels: core elements, Jose Maria Rubiato, UNCTAD

 

· Obstacles to Trade from the Perspective of the Business Sector: A Cross-Country comparison, Mondher Mimouni, ITC

 

· Presentation on the International Think Tank for the LLDCs, Mr. G. Batjargal, Mongolia

 

Session 3: Mobilization of resources for improving LLDCs' competitiveness

Panel presentations: 

· EC support for Landlocked Developing Countries: Transport, Trade Facilitation and Infrastructure, Mr John. A. Clarke, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Commission
 
· Aid for Trade, Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, Development Director, WTO
 
· Guide to Conducting Aid for Trade Needs Assessments: Presentation by UNDP on behalf of the CEB Inter-agency Cluster on Trade and Productive Capacity, Mr. David Luke and Mr. Jacek Cukrowski, UNDP 
 
 
· The Africa Development Bank’s Contribution to Aid for Trade, Mr. Kennedy Mbekeani, African Development Bank
 

Session 4: Way forward

 

Mr. Sandagdorj Erdenebileg, Chief, Policy Development, Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting Service, UN-OHRLLS

 

Panel presentations on Future Developments in the context of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations:

 
· State of the Negotiations of the Doha Round, Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, WTO
 
· Comments on the negotiations, Ambassador Rudolf Baerfuss,
Switzerland
 
· Comments on the negotiations, Ambassador Anthony Mothae Maruping, Lesotho
 
 
Conclusion of the meeting
 
Closing remarks by the Honourable Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade of Swaziland, Senator Jabulile Mashwama

 


 

 
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