Geneva, 9 July 2013 – On the sidelines of the Aid for Trade meeting in Geneva, the Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan, who acted as a speaker and panelist, took the opportunity to hold a meeting with representatives of several countries and groups. 

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the advancement of negotiation process in the upcoming of the 9 WTO, which will be held this December in Bali.

The countries and groups that met with the Indonesian Trade Minister were Japan, China, Jamaica, Nepal, and Pakistan. The Trade Minister also met the G33 group to discuss negotiation issues in agriculture.

Indonesia took the initiative to become the Host of WTO MC9 in Bali based on several considerations.

The Trade Minister explained that the Doha Round, which began in 2001 and particularly advocated the interests of developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs), has been experiencing stagnation until today. 

“This condition clearly disadvantages Indonesia, the chair of the G33 group, and members of the G20 chaired by Brazil in our advocacy of interests in agriculture and developmental issues. We expect the MC9 in Bali can be a stepping stone in the effort to conclude the Doha Round Negotiations,” the Trade Minister continued.

The WTO members are currently discussing an agreement on a Bali package that consists of trade facilitation, negotiation points of the agricultural sector, and developmental issues including the interests of LDCs.

Several countries also discussed the expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and  multilateral targets in the service sector. However, Indonesia reminded the WTO members that the primary target in Bali is an agreement package that consists of trade facilitation issues, elements of agriculture, and developmental issues. 

The package should mirror, however minor, the balance of interests between developed countries, developing countries and LDCs.  “The Bali package must be credible and enable trust toward the multilateral trade system under WTO; hence, prompting a strong political will to conclude the Doha Round after the MC9 in Bali,” Gita Wirjawan added.

According to the Trade Minister, the negotiations in Geneva have not demonstrated a significant advancement, particularly in regards with the G33’s suggestion about public stockholding for food security. The suggestion had resulted in several WTO members’ tactic to drag heels in other negotiation issues, especially in trade facilitation.

"During the meeting with countries and the group of key countries  today, Indonesia re-emphasizes that discussion of three negotiation issues must move forward horizontally and at a balance. This all means that lateness on one negotiation issue should not impede the advancement of other negotiation issues. Ahead of the Ministerial Conference in Bali, we will review to what extent balance can be actualized," said Minister Gita.

The Indonesian Trade Minister's visit to Geneva this time was conducted only two days after the APEC Senior Official Meeting/SOM in Medan North Sumatra.

At the SOM3, Indonesia also urged the APEC economies to give positive support to the negotiations process in Geneva so that the WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali can achieve agreements that can be accepted by all members.

The Trade Minister views that so far Indonesia has succeeded in encouraging APEC cooperation to be more focused on economic development which is more inclusive and fair. This is in line with the theme of APEC this year, which is ‘Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth’.

"We think that economic integration in this region will bring development and create jobs and increase living standards. However, the aforementioned agenda of economic integration itself will not alleviate the problem of development inequality," the Trade Minister explained.

That is why this year Indonesia proposes intensifying cooperation aimed at empowerment of SMEs, women entrepreneurs, novice entrepreneurs, and minority groups by proposing cooperation for the development of SMEs, financial inclusion, connectivity, education, food security and energy security, and mainstreaming of marine economy.

"There must be a balance between liberalization, facilitation and the effort to eradicate the development gap between economies, between regions, between entrepreneurs, who are the majority of the stakeholders," the Trade Minister added.