WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “I thank France for its continuous support for developing countries and LDCs in tackling sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) challenges, so producers can access global and regional markets and raise their standards of living. The STDF will continue to strengthen SPS capacities worldwide, with France's support.”

Ambassador Etienne Oudot de Dainville, Permanent Representative of France to the WTO, said: “Given the importance of agriculture in developing countries and LDCs, France is committed to answering the needs of these economies and supporting them in mastering SPS standards on world markets by financing the STDF. SPS standards should be understood as levers that can ensure inclusive and sustainable trade, economic growth and employment but also to fight against food insecurity.”

The French contribution will be used to strengthen the ability of small-scale farmers, producers and traders to access global and regional markets for food and agriculture products. It will support the development and roll-out of collaborative SPS projects, knowledge sharing, and monitoring and evaluation of results.

The contribution will also strengthen the STDF's coordination platform, connecting diverse stakeholders across agriculture, health, trade and development so they can share experiences, find opportunities for collaboration and promote a more coherent approach to SPS capacity development.

Overall, France has contributed approximately EUR 28 million to various WTO trust funds over 20 years. The French ministry in charge of agriculture has been contributing funds to the STDF since 2015.

Developing countries are encouraged to apply to the STDF for project and project preparation grants. Information on how to apply is available here. To date, the STDF has funded more than 230 projects benefiting LDCs and other developing countries.

The STDF is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to facilitate safe and inclusive trade, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO, which houses and manages the partnership. The STDF responds to evolving needs, drives inclusive trade and contributes to sustainable economic growth, food security and poverty reduction, in support of the United Nations' Global Goals.