A contribution of CHF 20,000 (approximately AUD 27,000) will be made to the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund to finance training workshops for government officials aimed at helping developing countries and LDCs participate more fully in multilateral trade and achieve economic growth. Since the creation of the fund in 2001, approximately 2,600 workshops have been organized.

A donation of CHF 110,000 (approximately AUD 150,000) will finance a new WTO research project aimed at helping countries analyze how trade can help them respond to and recover from natural disasters and build resilience to such events. This donation was announced at a symposium on trade and natural disasters held at the WTO’s headquarters on 26 April 2018.

The project will examine how natural disasters have had an impact on trade in the past and will assess which WTO rules and practices can help countries respond to or remain resilient to such disasters in the future.

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said: "Australia's generous donations are further evidence of the country's strong commitment to helping the WTO's poorest members integrate more effectively into the multilateral trading system. Through its donation to the Natural Disasters and Trade Fund, Australia is demonstrating welcome leadership in deepening our understanding of the role that trade can play in dealing with natural disasters."

Australia's Ambassador to the WTO, Frances Lisson, said: “Australia is committed to supporting developing countries participate more fully in, and benefit from, the multilateral trading system. We value the work of the WTO’s Global Trust Fund in delivering important training for government officials, and we look forward to seeing the findings from the WTO’s research on the links between trade and natural disasters”.

Australia has donated nearly AUD 23 million (CHF 17 million) to WTO trust funds over the past 15 years.