WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala thanked Canada for its continued generosity: “This new pledge by Canada will greatly contribute to increasing the implementation of international SPS standards by developing countries, including science-based approaches to protecting plant, animal and human health. By improving the safety and stability of a developing country’s food supply, thousands of farmers can enhance their ability to gain and maintain market access.”

Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Stephen de Boer, said: “By confirming its contribution to the WTO’s STDF in 2021, Canada continues to support inclusive trade through good governance, SPS compliance and capacity building in developing countries and LDCs.”

Canada has contributed over CHF 13 million to WTO trust funds over the past 19 years.

The STDF is a global coordination platform that connects diverse public and private sector organizations across agriculture, health, trade and development to share experiences, identify opportunities for collaboration and promote a more coherent approach to SPS capacity development.

The STDF provides support and funding for the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative SPS projects that promote compliance with international standards and other SPS requirements. The STDF was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO, which houses and manages the STDF partnership.