A first donation of EUR 1 million was offered to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund. This contribution will be used to finance WTO technical assistance activities targeted especially at the needs of developing and least-developed countries, as well as economies in transition. The aim is to enhance their ability to participate effectively in the WTO negotiations and ensure they fully benefit from the results achieved during these negotiations. 

A second donation of EUR 180,000 was granted to the Trade Facilitation Negotiating Group Fund which provides resources for capital-based officials from developing countries to participate in Geneva-based meetings of the Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation.

“I welcome the EU’s contribution that will help developing countries to improve their participation in the multilateral trading system” declared WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy.

The EU’s WTO Ambassador, Angelos Pangratis, stated: “These donations reflect the EU’s long-term commitment to assist developing countries in expanding their trading capacities, finding new markets, and using the potential of trade for their development. Understanding how the multilateral trading system works is essential for developing countries as trade can be an engine for growth and poverty reduction. This is especially important given the current troubled times we are all facing”.