Les questions de développement à la treizième Conférence ministérielle : facteur rédhibitoire ou changement de donne ?

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines critical development issues facing the World Trade Organization (WTO) ahead of the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13). It focuses on the long-standing struggle to operationalize Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) for developing economies and the need for a smooth transition for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) upon their graduation from that status.

• Developing countries and LDCs, which comprise 75% of WTO membership, argue that existing Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) provisions are often too vague or exhortatory to be effectively implemented.
• Despite a 2001 mandate from the fourth Ministerial Conference to make S&DT provisions more precise and operational, progress has been minimal. Of 88 initial proposals submitted by developing countries and LDCs, only five—specifically those concerning LDC requests—were adopted at the 2005 sixth Ministerial Conference.
• The G-90—a group including the African Group, the LDC Group, and the ACP Group—has narrowed its S&DT priorities to 10 specific proposals. In February 2023, South Africa submitted a detailed justification for these proposals, clarifying that they seek specific, time-limited flexibilities rather than general exemptions from WTO rules.
• There is an urgent need for a transition mechanism for LDCs that graduate to a higher development status. Currently, 10 of the 35 WTO LDCs and four of the eight countries in the accession process are nearing graduation, risking a sudden loss of international support that could reverse their development gains.
• A significant breakthrough occurred on October 23, 2023, when the WTO General Council adopted a decision encouraging members to provide a smooth and sustainable transition period for the withdrawal of duty-free and quota-free preference programs for graduated LDCs.
• The LDC group continues to seek further agreements for graduated countries, specifically regarding the continued use of LDC-specific flexibilities in WTO agreements and trade-related capacity building assistance for a set number of years post-graduation.

APA

Kaukab, R. S. (n.d.). Les questions de développement à la treizième Conférence ministérielle : facteur rédhibitoire ou changement de donne ? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/17936

Chicago

Kaukab, Rashid S. Les questions de développement à la treizième Conférence ministérielle : facteur rédhibitoire ou changement de donne ? International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/17936.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kaukab |first1=Rashid S. |title=Les questions de développement à la treizième Conférence ministérielle : facteur rédhibitoire ou changement de donne ? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/17936 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kaukabndles, author = {Kaukab, Rashid S.}, title = {{Les questions de développement à la treizième Conférence ministérielle : facteur rédhibitoire ou changement de donne ?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/17936}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }