WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/82
11December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5266)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
UNITED NATIONS (UN)/UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
ONTRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD )1
Message totheMinisterial Conference
from Dr.Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Secretary General oftheUN
Iampleased toextend mywarm greetings totheparticipants attheFirstMinisterial Conference
oftheWorld Trade Organization.
Initstwoyears oflife,theWorld Trade Organization hasalready become akeyactor onthe
global scene.
Theevolving cooperation between theUnited Nations system andtheWorld Trade Organization
overthelasttwoyears isawelcome signofshared perceptions oftheglobal development challenge,
andofawillingness todevise solutions incommon. Theobjectives oftheWorld Trade Organization -
topromote economic growth andsustainable development through trade -are,indeed, acrucial
component ofthenewframework forinternational cooperation anddevelopment thatweare,together,
called upon tobuild.
TheWorld Trade Organization canmaximize itscontribution tothisendeavour through three
interrelated priority objectives.
First, tostrengthen theparticipation ofthedeveloping countries, andespecially theleast
developed countries, sothattheyareabletoreapfullbenefit fromtheenlarged trading opportunities
thatarebecoming available.
Second, tobecome universal initsmembership: akeygoal, inthenextfewyears, should
betobring theacceding countries fullyintothemultilateral trading system.
Third, tofurther reinforce itscooperation withtheUnited Nations system torespond effectively
totheevolving requirements ofthenewinternational environment. Aspartofthiseffort, afurther
expansion anddiversification oftheexcellent cooperation thathasalready beenestablished between
theWorld Trade Organization andUNCTAD, asadevelopment-oriented Organization, isespecially
important.
Theoverall goals ofpoverty eradication andsustainable development, andthecreation ofan
international environment supportive ofgrowth andsocial progress, should guide ourcommon
endeavours. Within these priorities -setforinternational organizations bytheGeneral Assembly and
1SeealsoWT/MIN(96)/ST/81.
./.WT/MIN(96)/ST/82
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therecent series ofglobal conferences convened bytheUnited Nations -assisting developing countries
intaking fulladvantage ofthenewopportunities thatglobalization offers fortrade, investment, and
technology flows, willbeakeycommon taskintheperiod ahead.
Iamconfident thatthedeliberations ofthishistoric Conference willserve toadvance thecauses
offreetrade andeconomic growth, andtoenhance theinternational community 'scapacity toaddress
effectively thenewglobal challenges facing theworld anditspeoples.