jobgc3130january2013.docVIP

JOB/GC/31 30 January 2013 Page 1/6 Original: English General Council - 29, 30 and 31 January 2013 Appointment of the Next Director-General - MEETING WITH THE CANDIDATES _______________ Presentation to the General Council of the World Trade Organization by ms mari pangestu 29 January 2013 Excellencies Ambassadors of WTO Members, Good Afternoon Thank you for giving time to exchange views with all of you regarding the multilateral trading system and the WTO. I am looking forward to exchanging views with you today and in the forthcoming weeks because I believe that we all have the same objective and vision. That is trade is the key driver of global economic growth and development and the WTO plays a crucial role in preserving confidence in an open, fair, rule-based and balanced multilateral trading system. In a world of competing interests, the multilateral trading system stands as the guardian of an inclusive economic growth and development. After all removal of trade barriers under the multilateral trading system has been a key driver of economic growth over the past 50 years and that trade has led to lifting millions of people out of poverty. In my presentation this afternoon, I would like to outline the challenges facing us and share my vision as to how we should face them. What are the challenges? In my view we are facing four challenges: First is the need to ensure trade remains as an engine of growth and jobs, especially given the global uncertainties. This means ensuring that we maintain confidence in an open, rules based, fair and balanced multilateral trading system, and keep detrimental protectionism at bay. Second all of us in each of our countries, I think without exception, face the real or perceived notion that greater opening up has not benefitted everyone equally, whether between countries or within groups, regions and sectors within a country. We all see it and feel it, from occupy Wall Street in the US to