WTO news: what’s been happening in the WTO

Speeches: Former Director-General Mike Moore (1999-2002)

Date Title
01.08.02 Mike Moore's farewell: “Our greatest motivation is the people we serve”
Director-General Mike Moore, who completes his term on 31 August 2002, said in his farewell speech to the General Council on 31 July 2002 that “our greatest motivation is the people we serve”, underlining that “confidence in the system is restored...our outstanding success in launching a new round of trade negotiations in Doha last year has opened up enormous possibilities to advance the conditions of people throughout the world”.
25.06.02 Doha Agenda will define trade relations and development for this century
Work on the Doha Agenda will fold neatly into the priorities of the New Partnership for Africa's Development and will play an important role in the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development, WTO Director-General Mike Moore said in a speech to the Executive Board of the UNDP on June 25, 2002 in Geneva.
11.06.02

Transition economy members can enjoy prosperity and peace, Moore tells ministers
WTO membership and trade liberalization foster prosperity, stability and peace, Director-General Mike Moore told a WTO Ministerial Trade Conference for Central and South East Europe in Zagreb, 11 June 2002.

21.05.02 WTO organizes first WTO ministerial trade conference for Central Asia and Caucasus
Central Asian and Caucasus countries face challenges and opportunities in integrating into the multilateral trading system. This is the focus of discussions at a ministerial-level trade conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, 21 and 22 May 2002.
07.05.02 Doha Development Agenda: the role of Regional Development Banks
Director-General Mike Moore will host an informal dialogue on the implementation of the Doha Development Agenda with the Heads and Representatives of six regional development banks, the World Bank, and the New Partnership for African Development on 3 May 2002 at the WTO.
22.04.02 Moore stresses development role of trade at WTO symposium
Director-General Mike Moore, in opening the Public Symposium on Doha Development Agenda and Beyond at the WTO on 29 April 2002, stressed the role of trade liberalization in boosting the world economy, fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development.
22.04.02

Russia membership talks entering decisive and final phase — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the Fifth Annual Russian Economic Forum on 19 April 2002 in London, said that Russia's accession talks are “entering a decisive and final phase”, adding that “it would be a great failure of leadership if this accession is not completed in time for the Mexico Ministerial next year”.

17.04.02

Helping poorer members is key to successfully concluding negotiations — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech to the opening session of the Evian Group Meeting on 12 April 2002 in Montreux, Switzerland, said one key to success in concluding the new trade round is helping poorer members to integrate into the trading system and participate fully in the negotiations.

21.03.02 WTO is working on an Arab Region Strategy, Director-General Moore tells Qatar meeting
Increased technical assistance activities, improved communication and WTO-related information to Arab countries, an unofficial Arabic language website on the WTO, and Secretariat support of Arab countries negotiating membership are key parts of the WTO’s strategy for the region, Mike Moore told a Qatar Conference on Democracy and Free Trade, in Doha, 26 March 2002.
21.03.02

Moore calls for increased trade liberalization to help finance development
Director-General Mike Moore, on 21 March 2002, told the UN International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico that trade liberalization can make a huge contribution to the generation of resources for the financing of development.

18.03.02

Workers benefit from trade liberalization — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech to the ILO's Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization on 18 March 2002, underlined that workers as a group will be better off from trade liberalization, adding that the WTO is keeping up the momentum on the Doha Development Agenda.

11.03.02 WTO governments pledge 30m Swiss francs to help developing
countries in new trade round

WTO member governments promised, on 11 March 2002, to double the targeted 15 million Swiss francs to help developing countries participate in the Doha Development Agenda. Director-General Mike Moore described this as a “remarkable outcome” that will help “ensure that the world’s most vulnerable countries have a more effective voice in the new Trade Round”.
27.02.02

Technical assistance key to Doha Agenda success — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at a meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank Trade and Finance Ministers in Washington D.C. on 27 February 2002, stressed that one key to the success of the Doha Development Agenda will be “technical assistance and capacity building — helping developing and least-developed countries to integrate into the multilateral trading system and participate fully in the negotiations”.

25.02.02 Moore asks business to help build “a world without walls”
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce in Florida on 25 February 2002, called for “corporate courage” in fighting negative forces against market liberalization to help build “a world without walls”.
20.02.02

Moore cites “good start” to Doha Development Round
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions in Geneva on 20 February 2002, cited the “good start” made in the new trade negotiations with “a new budget, a venue, a negotiating structure, chairpersons of negotiating bodies, in place within three months of the Doha launch”.

23.01.02 Moore underscores parliamentarians' role in new negotiations
Director-General Mike Moore, in an address to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 23 January 2002, stressed that parliamentarians “need to engage in the critical issues” related to the new trade negotiations.
14.12.01 WTO Secretariat reorganizes for Development Round
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 14 December 2001 said, “WTO has been given an important new negotiating mandate by Ministers”.
28.11.01 Doha success marks a turning-point for the world trading system — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech before the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council in Hong Kong, China on 28 November 2001, said the Doha Ministerial was “an extraordinarily successful meeting ... that will be remembered as a turning point in the history of the WTO and the trading system and in relations between developed and developing countries within that system”.
10.10.01 World economy needs a boost from Doha — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 9 October 2001 before the Foreign Affairs Commission of the French National Assembly in Paris, stressed that “the state of the world economy demands that we use the Ministerial Conference as an opportunity to boost global confidence”.
05.10.01 Moore lauds opening of legal aid centre for developing WTO members
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the opening of the Advisory Centre for WTO Law on 5 October 2001, said it marked “the first time a true legal aid centre has been established within the international legal system, with a view to combating the unequal possibilities of access to international justice as between States”.
25.09.01 Moore urges African support for new Round
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the 4th Ordinary Session of the OAU/AEC Conference of African Ministers of Trade on 22 September 2001 in Abuja, Nigeria, urged support for the launching of a new Round in Doha with “development” at its core. He cited a study estimating a $155 billion gain for developing countries from further trade liberalization, which is over three times what they get annually in aid.
13.09.01 Moore opens 3rd Geneva Week for non-resident members
Director-General Mike Moore in a speech on 10 September 2001 opening the Third Geneva Week for WTO members and observers without offices in Geneva said that he is forming an internal secretariat task-force on small economies.
17.07.01 New Round can deal with barriers to African exports — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 16 July 2001 at the ECOSOC's High-Level Policy Dialogue in Geneva, said that “a new round with development at its core” can deal with current barriers to Africa's exports.
06.07.01 Moore calls for “civilized discourse” with NGOs
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 6 July 2001 opening the first WTO Symposium on Issues Confronting the World Trading System, said “civilized discourse” with NGOs will help the WTO do a better job. He said such gatherings with NGOs and civil society should become a regular feature of WTO activities.
05.07.01 Development argument for new Round “compelling” — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 5 July 2001 at Winconference 2001 in Interlaken, Switzerland, stressed that “poor countries need to grow their way out of poverty” and that broad negotiations could deal with many obstacles facing their products in rich countries, including high tariffs in agriculture, textiles, clothing and leather.
20.06.01 WTO chief announces Arab region strategy ahead of Doha conference
The WTO is preparing a strategy for the Arab region, to raise awareness, improve information flows, help Arab delegations in Geneva, and prepare Arab countries for a new trade round that could potentially be launched at the forthcoming Ministerial Conference in Doha, Director-General Mike Moore announced on 20 June 2001.
08.06.01 Moore calls on parliamentarians to support new Round
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at Inter-Parliamentary Union's first meeting on international trade on 8 June 2001 in Geneva, warned that failure to launch a new Round this year “could jepardize the multilateral trading system itself” and that “the biggest losers would be the poor and the weak”.
17.05.01 New Round is surest way to prevent further LDC marginalization — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 17 May 2001 in Brussels at the Third UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, said the WTO is “delivering” on assistance to the poorest countries, including significant market-access improvements for their exports. But better than a piecemeal approach, he said, would be to launch a new Round this year, which would be “the surest way to prevent further marginalization of LDCs from the world economy”.
11.05.01 WTO Secretariat organizes workshop on technical assistance in trade facilitation
WTO delegations and experts from international agencies, governments and the private sector will be discussing technical assistance and capacity building in trade facilitation in a workshop being organized by the WTO Secretariat for 10-11 May 2001 in Geneva.
08.05.01 Positive signs for Round launch in Doha — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 5 May 2001 in Geneva at the Conference on the role of the WTO in global governance, said “the building blocks of new round are almost in place”. He said “the missing ingredient is the political will from members to compromise” although he detected “many positive signs” of new flexibility.
23.04.01 “The world needs a new WTO Round” — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in two speeches in Berlin on 23 April 2001, underlined the importance of launching a new Round this year. Before the German Foundation for International Development, he said that developing countries “with a positive agenda and strength in numbers can ensure the next round has a strong focus on developmental concerns”. Before the German council on foreign relations, Berlin, he stressed that the economic case for a new Round is “compelling”.
19.04.01 Moore welcomes news of settlement of South Africa drug lawsuit
Director-General Mike Moore, in a statement on 19 April 2001, welcomed news of the settlement achieved between the Government of South Africa and pharmaceutical companies. “The settlement shows that the WTO Agreements, such as TRIPS, contain the necessary flexibility to meet the health needs of developing countries,” he said.  
10.04.01 Greater involvement of parliamentarians in WTO work urged
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at a European Parliament seminar in Brussels on 10 April 2001, called for greater involvement of parliamentarians in the work of the WTO. He also underlined the democratic nature of the organization, in which all agreements are reached by consensus of the 140 member governments and every country has a veto.
30.03.01

Moore and Putin upbeat on Russia’s membership bid
Joining the WTO is Russia’s top priority, President Vladimir Putin told WTO Director-General Mike Moore when the two met in Moscow on 30 March 2001. Mr Moore said Moscow’s membership bid has been re-energized by new legislation, but important issues remain.

19.03.01 Poor-country issues must be at heart of new Round — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the Ministerial Roundtable on Trade and Poverty in Least-Developed Countries in London on 19 March 2001, said that a “a new Round (of trade negotiations) is the surest way to prevent the further marginalization of LDCs from the world economy and to deal with problems that they may have with existing WTO agreements”. He said that the new Round “must have implementation issues at its heart” and encompass other issues that are important to developing countries.
12.03.01 Moore sees “positive signs” for Round launch in Doha
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the European Business School London on 12 March 2001, said there are already “many positive signs” from members, including leading traders the US and the EU, for launching a new Round at the Doha Ministerial in November. He said developing countries increasingly understand that “the greatest threat to their economies is not globalization, but marginalization”.
22.02.01 “Agriculture's stake in WTO trade negotiations”
Agricultural outlook forum 2001, Washington
05.02.01 Moore bats for a new trade round
Director-General Mike Moore underscored the potential benefits of a new round for all members in speeches before Australia's National Press Club (5 February 2001) and Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (2 February 2001). He said a new round would facilitate the current negotiations on agriculture and services, keep and further open markets in an economic slowdown, and deal with concerns of developing countries.
25.01.01 Moore welcomes new market opening for LDCs
Director-General Mike Moore, on 23 January 2001, briefed least-developed country members on concrete market access measures taken recently by Canada, New Zealand and Norway for LDCs, adding that the EC, Japan and the US have announced or proposed significant measures. He promised to intensify his efforts in further improving trade opportunities for LDCs.
19.01.01 Moore underlines trade's development role
Director-General Mike Moore, at an informal meeting of the WTO General Council on 18 January 2001, reported that the focus of WTO's cooperation with the IMF and the World Bank is assisting developing and least-developed countries take greater advantage from international trade. He underlined that these countries need more open markets and technical assistance.
11.01.01 New round needed to counter threat of protectionism — Moore
WTO Director-General Mike Moore stressed that “further trade negotiations are an insurance policy against pleas for protection when economies turn down” in a speech at the Partnership Summit on 11 January 2001 at Hyderabad, India.
08.12.00 Round will boost agriculture negotiations — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at a meeting on “WTO Negotiations: Agriculture and the Developing Countries” on 6 December 2000 in Paris, said that developing countries are focusing on opening more markets, particularly for processed goods, and disciplining export subsidies in the ongoing agriculture negotiations. He underlined the “importance of a broader WTO Round” in ensuring the success of these negotiations.
07.12.00 Moore: 2000 a year of challenge and consolidation for the WTO
Director-General Mike Moore, in introducing his annual report (42 pages; 518 KB) to members on 7 December 2000, called 2000 a year of “challenge and consolidation” for the WTO. He cited the challenge of continuing to “work hard for a consensus on a broader negotiating agenda”, adding that “the goodwill that has been created over the past year gives us an opportunity to take our system forward and deliver benefits to all our peoples”.
28.11.00 Regional initiatives cannot be a substitute to the WTO — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech in Buenos Aires on 28 November 2000, said that “while regionalism can be a positive force and provide an important complement to the multilateral system, it cannot be a substitute — this means above all that we need to push hard for a new round which is the surest way to ensure that regional and multilateral interests converge.”
15.11.00 Libreville 2000 — Meeting of African trade ministers
Closing Statement by Mr. Mike Moore, Director-General World Trade Organization, at the Meeting of African trade ministers, Libreville 13-15 November 2000.
13.11.00 Africa's concerns should be on the new round's agenda — Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech at the opening of the Libreville 2000 Meeting of African trade ministers on 13 November 2000, underlined that “we need a new round of trade negotiations with Africa at the table and with Africa's great concerns on the agenda”.
06.11.00 The WTO: New Issues; A New Round: When and How?
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in a speech on 6 November 2000 before the Link Foundation in London, said that achievements this year have rebuilt confidence in the WTO after Seattle and have improved the climate for further trade talks.
06.11.00 Transition economies and the WTO
The WTO has an important role to play in helping ex-communist countries overcome daunting economic challenges and create successful market economies, WTO Director-General Mike Moore said on 6 November 2000. He was addressing a conference on “Completing Transition” at the Joint Vienna Institute.
31.10.00 Moore cites e-commerce potential for development
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in his opening remarks to the to the ITC Briefing Session on E-Commerce Conference on 31 October 2000, cited the development potential of e-commerce for “linking distant markets and creating new ones”. He stressed that “we at the WTO aim to do our best to promote rather than hinder the development of the Internet and to help the poor as well as the rich benefit from it”. The ITC is inviting the public to participate in an e-trade virtual forum on 20-23 November 2000.
26.10.00 “The Backlash Against Globalization?”
Liberal International, Ottawa
24.10.00 Moore calls for cooperation on trade-environment issues
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, on 24 October 2000, called for greater cooperation and understanding between the WTO and environment agreements to help “maximize synergies and reduce potential tensions”. He also urged sensitivity to the needs of developing countries and vigilance against hidden protectionism. UNEP Executive-Director Klaus Töpfer said a coherent relationship between the WTO and these agreements will be “a vital element in creating a sustainable global economy”.
20.09.00 Moore welcomes US Senate vote on China
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, in a statement issued on 20 September 2000, welcomed actions by members that would facilitate the rapid accession of China into the WTO.
11.09.00 Moore cites need for dialogue and cooperation in financial services
WTO Director-General Mike Moore, on 11 September 2000 in Basel, Switzerland, said international dialogue and cooperation are critical for confidence and stability in the financial systems of the world.
25.08.00 Reflections on the global trading system
Speech by Mike Moore, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, at the Symposium on Global Economic Integration, Jackson Hole, United States, 25 August 2000.
14.08.00 Trade lifts people out of poverty
Director General Mike Moore in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Christchurch, New, Zealand, on August 14, 2000, cited “overwhelming evidence” that openness to trade boosts economic growth and raises living standards for everyone.
26.07.00 In Praise of the Future
Director-General Mike Moore in his speech on 26 July 2000 in Malmo, Sweden, called on young socialists to embrace openness and stressed that there is “no contradiction between being on the Left and supporting free trade and the WTO”.
16.06.00 Trade, Poverty and The Human Face of Globalization
Speech by Mike Moore, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Reuters/Carnegie Public Policy Series - London School of Economics
23.05.00 The National Foreign Trade Council's World Trade Dinner
"History demands we welcome China into the world trading order," said Director-General Mike Moore in a keynote speech at the National Foreign Trade Council's World Trade Dinner in New York on 22 May 2000.
06.05.00

The post-Seattle trade agenda
Speech by the Director-General Mike Moore Director-General to the International Chamber of Commerce 33rd World Congress Budapest, May 5th 2000.

04.05.00 Globalisation and the Social Market Economy
Speech by Mike Moore Director-General of the World Trade Organisation
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Frankfurt, May 4th 2000
03.05.00 WTO now in much better shape with new agreements--Moore
Director-General Mike Moore, at a press conference on 3 May 2000, lauded as "major steps forward" for the organization the creation of a mechanism to address problems of developing countries in implementing WTO provisions and the announcement by major importing members of pledges to open their markets to the poorest members
13.04.00 Moore urges trade package for poorest countries
Director-General Mike Moore, in his address to the US National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on 13 April 2000, reiterated his call for a trade package for the least-developed countries. He also cited benefits to other countries of China's membership in the WTO
07.03.00

After Seattle – The WTO and Developing Countries
Formal Evidence to the International Development Committee of the House of Commons and Remarks to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development of the House of Commons.

21.02.00

Prospects for the Developing Countries in the Next Round
Address to the Development Committee of the European Parliament.

16.02.00 The WTO is back on track - "Back On Track for Trade and Development"
Keynote address by Mike Moore Director-General, WTO UNCTAD X, Bangkok.
15.02.00 Indonesia must promote justice and human progress
Statement to Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta.
09.02.00 "Open societies do better"
Statement by Mike Moore Director-General, World Trade Organization, at the 11th International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference.
10.01.00 "Revisiting the multilateral trading system"
Director-General Mike Moore's keynote address to the Confederation of Indian Industry at the "Partnership Summit 2000", New Delhi.
27.01.00

Director General Mike Moore has just returned to the Geneva Headquarters of the WTO after a series of meetings with Ministers and senior officials. Director-General's Press Statement.

07.12.99 "It is vital to maintain and consolidate what has already been achieved." Statement by Mike Moore Director-General, WTO.
02.12.99 Speech Notes to Legislators Assembly
Address given by Rt Hon Mike Moore, Director-General,
World Trade Organization
01.12.99 Statement by Mike Moore at President Bill Clinton's Lunch,
WTO's Seattle Ministerial Conference
30.11.99 Seattle conference doomed to succeed
Opening Address to the WTO's 3rd Ministerial Conference by Rt Hon Mike Moore.
30.11.99 New Zealand's Trade Minister, Lockwood Smith, Tapped for Key Ministerial Chairmanship
WTO's Seattle Ministerial Conference.
11.11.99

National Conference on the Millennium Round, Rome
Speech delivered by WTO Director-General Mike Moore today (11 November) at the National Conference on the Millennium Round in Rome.

29.10.99 Seattle: What's at Stake?
Speech delivered by Mike Moore, Director-General of the World Trade Organization to the Transatlantic Business Dialogue, Berlin.
29.09.99 Address to the Ministerial Meeting of Least-Developed Countries, United Nations, New York
Statement by Mike Moore Director-General, WTO.
27.09.99 Development Committee of the World Bank
Speech delivered by Mike Moore, Director-General of the World Trade Organization
28.09.99 House Ways and Means Committee
Statement of Mike Moore Director-General, WTO.
28.09.99 Executive Session of the Senate Finance Committee
Statement of Mike Moore Director-General, WTO.
28.09.99

"Challenges for the global trading system in the new millennium"
Speech delivered by Mike Moore, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C.

23.09.99 Africa and the multilateral trading system: challenges and opportunities
Address by Mike Moore, Director-General, World Trade Organization at the Conference of African Trade Ministers, Algiers.
21.09.99

"The future of international trade in services"
Speech by Mike Moore, Director-General, at the The Third Debis Services Conference, Berlin.

20.09.99

Conference on Developing Countries' Interests in a Millennium Round
Introductory remarks by Mike Moore, Director-General, WTO, Geneva, 20-21 September 1999.

14.09.99

Trade for development - the way ahead
Address to the Group of 77 Ministerial Meeting, Marrakesh, Tuesday 14 September 1999.

12.09.99 Address Via Video-Conference - A challenge to APEC business
Address given by Rt Hon Mike Moore, Director-General,
World Trade Organization
24.08.99

Launch of Report into: APEC 10 years & beyond
Address given by Rt Hon Mike Moore MP to the House of Representatives, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

01.07.99

The WTO: The Challenge Ahead
Address given by Rt Hon Mike Moore MP to The New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Legislative Council Chambers, Parliament House

 
Speeches given by Renato Ruggiero 1995–1999

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