The contribution helped to cover travel expenses for government officials from LDCs attending MC13. The financing was provided to the WTO LDCs Trust Fund, which is set up for each Ministerial Conference. Multiple WTO members contribute to this fund.

“I thank the European Union for generously supporting the WTO's capacity-building programmes which aim to equip policymakers in developing economies, including LDCs, with solid trade-related skills,” WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. “The objective is to help them widen their countries' trading opportunities so that more people may benefit from sustainable economic development and growth.”

The EU's WTO Ambassador, João Aguiar Machado, said: “The EU remains deeply committed to promoting the active participation of least-developed countries in the multilateral trading system. This starts with their participation at the Ministerial Conferences, as a way of ensuring an inclusive WTO that can address their needs.”

Overall, the EU has contributed CHF 33 million (EUR 34.6 million) to the various WTO trust funds over more than 20 years.