The donation to the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund will finance training workshops for officials in Geneva and elsewhere to help them better understand and implement WTO agreements. Since the creation of the fund in 2001, over 2,500 workshops have been organized.

Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said: “This donation will help to provide important training for developing and least-developed countries to help them participate effectively in multilateral trade negotiations and thereby seize the opportunities that trade provides. I welcome Japan’s ongoing generosity.”

Japan’s Ambassador, Junichi Ihara, said: “Japan is committed to ensuring that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible within a rules-based multilateral trading system. Through our contribution, we aim to help developing and least-developed countries strengthen their understanding of multilateral trade rules and better integrate into global markets, therefore making global trade more inclusive.”

Japan has donated almost CHF 11 million to WTO trust funds over the past 15 years.