   
  
PRESS/ 892 
 
18 November 2021  
(21-8704) Page: 1/1 
    
 
 
PRESS RELEASE  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Sweden donates SEK 500,000 to support LDCs' participation in 
Ministerial Conference  
Sweden is contributing SEK 500,000 (over CHF 53,000) to help the least -developed countries 
(LDCs) within the WTO membership participate in the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), 
which will be held at the end of November in Geneva.   
 
The donation is  to the LDC Trust Fund, which is set up for each Ministerial Conference, the WTO's 
top decision -making body. The contribution will help defray travel expenses (i.e. travel tickets and 
accommodation) for officials from LDCs wishing to participate in MC12 . Multiple WTO members 
contribute to this fund.  
 
WTO Director -General Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala said: "At MC12, differences can only be bridged 
through an effective participation of all  WTO members. I thank Sweden for ensuring that officials 
from LDCs can actively negotiate trade -related outcomes that will benefit their people."  
 
Sweden's WTO Ambassador, Mikael Anzén, said: "The multilateral trading system has been 
instrumental in boosti ng Sweden's exports and economic growth. We would like to see LDCs reap 
the benefits of trade in a similar way. Participating in MC12 is a first important step. " 
 
Overall, Sweden has donated almost SEK 20 million (over CHF 2 million) to the various WTO tru st 
funds over nearly 20 years.  
 
 
END 