Thursday, July 25, 2024

France is donating approximately EUR 6 million (CHF 5.8 million) over the period 2024-2026 to finance WTO technical assistance programmes aimed at helping government officials from developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) better understand and implement more effectively global trade rules and standards. France’s Permanent Representative to the WTO Ambassador Etienne Oudot de Dainville announced the contribution at a signing ceremony with WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang held on 23 July 2024 at the WTO.

France's contribution will support four programmes.

The traineeship programme sponsored by France and Ireland will receive an annual contribution of EUR 900,000 (CHF 870,000) to finance internships for government officials at the permanent missions of developing economies and LDCs in Geneva.

A yearly amount of EUR 550,000 (CHF 530,000) will support the WTO's Chairs Programme aimed at helping academic institutions in developing economies and LDCs build their expertise in trade policy, international trade economics, international relations and international economic law.

The Standards and Trade Development Facility will receive approximately EUR 500,000 (CHF 480,000) annually to help developing economies and LDCs implement food safety, animal health and plant health standards required for international trade and to improve their sanitary and phytosanitary capacity.

A total of EUR 250,000 (over CHF 240,000) will be directed to the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism to support developing economies in implementing the disciplines of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies once it enters into force.

“The French government is particularly attached to technical assistance programmes for three reasons: the broad geographical diversity they offer, their capacity to facilitate exchanges of experiences between different countries, and finally, in ensuring that there is mutual understanding of one another and of perhaps new ideas in order to move forward and help the multilateral trading system remain stable for all of our countries and be a vector for development," said Ambassador Oudot de Dainville.

DDG Zhang said: “The WTO and beneficiaries from technical assistance activities sincerely appreciate France's consistent support, both financial and intellectual, to the WTO's technical assistance. These programmes have been making a difference in helping developing economies and LDCs increase their capacities to participate more fully in the multilateral trading system.”

France has contributed just over EUR 34 million (approximately CHF 33 million) to WTO trust funds over more than 20 years.