With this new contribution, Japan’s overall participation to WTO trust funds has now reached CHF8,595,471.

The STDF is a joint initiative of the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. 

“Compliance with international standards, especially in the SPS area which is technically and scientifically complicated, is often an obstacle for developing countries to fully participate in the multilateral trading system. I welcome Japan’s donation which will facilitate developing countries’ integration in the global economy”, declared WTO Director General Pascal Lamy.

Japan’s Ambassador to the WTO, Yoichi Otabe said “Improving developing countries’ capacity for analysis and implementation of international Sanitary and PhytoSanitary standards is a key to gain and maintain market access. Japan has continuously supported developing and least-developed countries in using trade as an engine for sustainable growth, development and, ultimately, poverty reduction. It is Japan’s preference from this year that its contribution be used for projects and programmes of the STDF in the South-East Asian region, with a clear focus on low to middle-income countries”.