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on technical assistance
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“The present donation and the new focus on WTO with regard to our
international cooperation policy translates the continuing commitment of
Belgium to the multilateral trading system in general and WTO in
particular,” said Minister Michel. “Our aim with this effort is to help
developing countries with their further integration in the multilateral
trading system , and in particular with a focus on the ongoing trade
negotiations and the needs of these countries.”
“Thanks to generous donations such as Belgium's, we have been able to
significantly increase the WTO's technical assistance activities. This
is helping developing countries participate more actively in the WTO
negotiations,” said WTO Director-General Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi.
This contribution is in addition to several donations Belgium has made
to the Doha Trust Fund. In 2003, the Belgian government contributed CHF
752,000 (500,000 euro) and the Government of Flanders – federated entity
of Belgium – granted an additional CHF 231,000 (150,000 euro). In 2002,
the Government of Flanders also contributed CHF 154,000 (100,000 euro).
The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund was set up 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 24 million Swiss francs for the Doha Trust Fund for
2003. |
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The Belgian government, on 13 September 2003, committed itself to
contribute CHF 3,080,000 (2 million euro) over 4 years
— 2004 to 2007
— to the WTO Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund. The Belgian
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Louis Michel, announced the donation
during his speech at the fifth WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancún.