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German Ambassador Walter Lewalter and WTO Director General Supachai
Panitchpakdi signed today a Memorandum of Understanding affirming this
commitment.
“With
this contribution we would like to continue and to enhance our support
for the Doha Development Agenda,” Amb. Lewalter said. “Technical
assistance should enable developing countries to be equal partners in
the negotiations and improve their capacity in the field of
international trade. We expect the technical assistance to be
delivered in a highly effective and efficient manner”.
“I
am especially grateful to Germany for its new generous contribution to
the Doha Trust Fund,” said Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.
“This donation will contribute actively to the establishment of a
sound and predictable basis for funding WTO trade-related technical
assistance as vouched for in the December 2001 decision by the WTO
General Council. Germany’s contribution will help developing
countries participate more fully in the Doha Development Round by
building their capacities. This is crucial since the potential
benefits of the Doha Round are enormous, especially in areas of
particular interest to developing countries such as agriculture,
fisheries, services and market access”.
The
Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund was created following the
WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, in November 2001, which launched a
new round of negotiations. On 11 March 2002 WTO Member Governments
pledged CHF 30 million to the fund.
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