The US pledges $1 million to technical assistance

“Breaking down trade barriers is essential to economic growth and poverty reduction, but we must ensure that developing countries have the tools to take advantage of these new market openings,” U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman said. “Our contribution to the TRTA is part of the United States’ broader efforts to provide ‘Aid for Trade’ to developing countries.”

“I am grateful to the US government for its generous contribution,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. “A comprehensive ‘Aid for Trade’ initiative is essential. Not only poor countries will need assistance to implement the results of the trade negotiations, they will also have to cope with any incurred economic adjustment costs. In addition, it is clear that development benefits that will result from a successful conclusion of the negotiations can only come true if there is a closer integration of poor countries in the multilateral trading.”

This latest contribution will bring total US contributions to WTO TRTA for the Doha Development Agenda to almost $6 million since the launch of negotiations. The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund was created following the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, in November 2001, which launched the new round of negotiations.