Danish Ambassador Henrik Rée Iversen and WTO Director General
Supachai Panitchpakdi met today to sign two Memoranda of Understanding
affirming these commitments.
“The
integration of developing countries and especially the least developed
countries in the international trade system has for a long time been a
top priority for the Danish Government,” said Ambassador Iversen.
“I am therefore delighted to be able to sign two agreements today
with the Director-General, Supachai. Denmark hereby gives support of 5
million Danish Kroner to the highly qualified assistance which the
World Trade Organization is rendering to the developing countries in
the field of trade”.
“I
am extremely grateful to Denmark for its generous contribution to WTO’s
technical assistance activities,” said Dr. Supachai. “The
internship programme is one that has already proved very successful
both in training developing country officials and in improving
developing country representation in the WTO. The Doha Trust Fund is
essential to enable developing countries to participate actively in
the comprehensive round of negotiations currently underway”.
Under
the internship programme, young professionals from developing
countries are recruited by the WTO to work in the mission of their
country in Geneva for 12 months.
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. In December 2002, the General Council
approved a target amount of CHF 24 million for 2003 for the Doha Trust
Fund.
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