SEE ALSO:
press releases
WTO news
Mike Moore's speeches
Renato Ruggiero's speeches,
1995-99
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"I welcome Norway's generous contribution to the Fund," said WTO
Director-General Mike Moore. "Since the WTO was formed, demand for technical
assistance has increased dramatically. We are doing our best to respond to these demands,
on our own and in cooperation with other international organizations."The
WTO's regular budget for technical assistance of CHF 741,000 is insufficient to meet all
the demands of developing and least-developed countries, as well as the needs of economies
in transition, to enable them to engage more fully in the trading system. In recent years,
these funds have largely been supplemented by generous contributions from countries such
as Norway to support important programmes for development."
Norway's
new contribution is its third to WTO's technical cooperation activities. In September
1995, Norway launched a WTO fund for least-developed countries with a $2.5 million
contribution. In November 1999, Norway again contributed 2 million Norwegian Kroner
(approximately CHF 400,000).
The
Director-General has called on WTO Member governments to raise the regular budget for
technical assistance to better meet the demand of developing countries. A group of
countries, including Norway, has proposed an increase in the regular budget of CHF 10
million earmarked for technical assistance. |
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