Ireland's donation will assist in building the trade capacity of developing and least developed countries and will help them implement WTO agreements and comply with international standards. These are areas that are key to protecting the trade interests and development needs of the world’s poorest countries.

EUR 200,000 (about CHF 230,000) is being provided to the French Irish Internship Programme for Selected Members' Missions in Geneva. This programme provides funding for interns from developing countries so that they can gain valuable experience with the multilateral trading system by working in the Geneva mission of their own country.

EUR 150,000 (approximately CHF 170,000) is being provided to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) for 2018. This programme was set up to help developing countries improve their expertise and their capacity to analyze and implement international standards on food safety and animal and plant health and to access agricultural export markets. 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 UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said: “We welcome Ireland's continued generosity. These donations will help developing and least-developed countries to benefit fully from the multilateral trading system. This support will also help these countries comply with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards, helping them to find markets for agricultural goods for example, with all the benefits that brings for growth and development."

Irish Ambassador to the WTO Michael Gaffey said: “Support for trade and investment is integral to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through these grants, Ireland is working to support the potential of trade to promote employment, decent work and women’s economic empowerment, reduce inequality and contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.”