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WT/BFA/W/486  
 
5 June 2019 
(19-3859) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration    
 
LDC MINISTERIAL CONF ERENCE TRUST FUND 20 20 
1. Since the first WTO Ministerial Conference held in Singapore in 1996, the WTO Secretariat has 
facilitated the participation of Least -Developed Countries (LDCs) in the Min isterial Conferences, 
funded from  voluntary contributions pooled into a special extra -budgetary fund.  Costs related to air 
travel, accommodation and per diem allowances of LDC delegations , comprised of one Minister and 
two high level officials , are covered.  In 201 7, the 1 1th Ministerial C onference took place in 
Buenos  Aires, in Argentina . 
Table 1 LDC in the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, Buenos Aires (TMI11) – Global 
situation – as at 31 March 2019  
LDC in the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (TMI11)  KCHF 
Funds bro ught forward from 2018  340 
Contributions received  0 
Contributions reimbursed  -60 
Balance available  280 
 
2. At the end of a given Ministerial Conference, the remaining balances in favour of the various 
donors are traditionally carried forward and added to the new contributions to be utilized for the 
same purpose in the subsequent Conference unless the donor requ ests a reimbursement. At the end 
of Q1 2019, after the conclusion of the Ministerial Conference and the accounts were finalized , a 
balance of CHF 280,000  remain ed.  
3. The fund has not received any contributions in 201 9. However, Norway has  pledge d 
approximat ely CHF 35,000  for MC12. T herefore , the expected available funding is approximately 
CHF 315,000.  
4. The total expenditures f rom this Trust Fund for  MC 11 amounted to CHF  560,000. This was 
lower than originally estimated due to lower than expected airfares. Additionally, the costs charged 
to the fund were reduced by coordination with another event taking place concurrently with the 
Ministerial which allowed some costs to be share by other funds.   
5. The estimated cost of LDC Members and Observers' part icipation at MC12 is CHF 640,000. 
This includes travel, accommodation and per diem for three officials per country.  Therefore, an 
additional CHF 325,000 is estimated as the amount to still be contributed for MC12.  
6. Recognizing the time necessary to secure funding this information is being made available at 
this early date. Members are invited to consider if they will be in a position to support the MC12 
fund.  
 
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