All the interns are government officials working on trade-related matters. The WTO Secretariat selected participants from across the world, with priority given to Sub-Saharan Africa, LDCs, small, vulnerable economies (SVEs) and countries with small missions in Geneva.

In his welcome remarks, DDG Xiangchen Zhang thanked France, Ireland and the Netherlands for renewing their contribution to these capacity building programmes. He urged the participants to “make the most of their experiences at the WTO despite these challenging times” and to “observe, listen, learn and contribute”. 

A total of 19 interns are participating in the 2022 edition of the French Irish Mission Internship Programme funded by France and Ireland. The objective of the programme is to build trade-related capacity in beneficiary countries by providing government officials with an opportunity to develop their expertise on WTO activities. The interns work in their respective missions in Geneva and can represent their countries at WTO meetings. Priority is given to missions of LDCs and small, vulnerable economies.

France's WTO Permanent Representative, Etienne Oudot de Dainville, said: “France's support for the French-Irish Mission Internship Programme is a clear indication of our commitment to building an inclusive multilateral system. Technical assistance is an important part of the WTO's work — it keeps the organization relevant by allowing as many people as possible to play a part in shaping the multilateral trading system and to ultimately reap its benefits.”

Congratulating the participants on their selection for the programme, Ireland’s WTO Deputy Permanent Representative, Eugene Forde, said: “Ireland is committed to strengthening the participation of LDCs and small, vulnerable, economies in international trade through the work of the WTO. Our support for the Mission Internship Programme is especially important in these challenging times and as WTO members are preparing for the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference.”

The 2022 Netherlands Trainee Programme is hosting 13 interns. Funded by the Netherlands, the programme seeks to help LDCs, low‑income countries and SVEs gain valuable experience in the economic and development aspects of trade policy, allowing them to participate in ongoing activities within the WTO Secretariat. The objective is to familiarize participants with the work of the WTO and help them enhance their understanding of the multilateral trading system.

The Netherlands' WTO Deputy Permanent Representative, Marcel Vernooij, said: “The Netherlands is pleased to support government officials from developing economies undertaking an internship at the WTO.  With their enhanced understanding of the WTO, they will be in an even better position to promote trade as an engine for sustainable economic growth and job creation in their countries”.

The interns were joined both in-person and online by WTO Ambassadors and representatives of their countries of origin.

The two internship programmes will run from March to December 2022.