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8 February 2024  
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PRESS RELEASE  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Finland gives EUR 1.2 million to improve developing economies' 
participation in world trade  
Finland is contributing EUR 1.2 million (CHF 1.14 million) to four WTO trust funds aimed at 
assisting developing economies and least -developed country (LDC) members improve their 
understanding and application of global trade rules. Finland's contribution w as confirmed by WTO 
Ambassador Heidi Schroderus -Fox at a signing ceremony held with WTO Deputy Director -General 
Xiangchen Zhang on 8 February at the WTO.  
 
Half of the contribution will be provided to the Global Trust Fund, which finances training 
programm es for government officials from developing economies and LDCs. The objective is to 
broaden their expertise in WTO matters and enhance their ability to negotiate trade rules at the 
WTO. The funding will partly support activities organized under Action for Climate and Trade,  a 
joint initiative with the World Bank Group and the World  Economic Forum.  
 
The other half of this contribution will be channelled to three other funds: the  Standards and Trade 
Development Facility (STDF ), the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism , known as the Fish Fund, and 
the LDCs Trust Fund.  
 
Finland's contribution to the STDF will help developing economies and LDCs im plement food safety, 
animal health and plant health standards required for international trade and strengthen their 
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems, contributing to sustainable economic growth, poverty 
reduction and food security. Investing in SPS  capacity also supports more sustainable agri -food 
systems that protect biodiversity and the environment and are more resilient to climate change.  
 
The Fish Fund will offer direct support to developing and LDC members that have submitted their 
instruments of acceptance for implementing the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Finland's 
contribution will help to put into operation the Fish Fund, ensuring it is ready when the Agreement 
comes into effect.  
 
Finland's contribution to the LDCs Trust Fund will help cover travel expenses for officials from LDCs 
attending the 13th Ministerial Conference , which will be held from 26 to 29 February 2024 in 
Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates. The LDCs Trust Fund is set up for each WTO Ministerial 
Conference.  
 
Welcoming Finland's contribution, DDG Zhang said: "I welcome Finland's generous contribution, 
which wi ll help to create new opportunities for people from developing economies and LDCs to 
participate in international trade. Through its various trust funds, the WTO seeks to help its PRESS/ 945 
 
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  member governments use trade as a vehicle for raising living standards, crea ting jobs and 
improving people's lives."  
 
Mrs Schroderus -Fox said: "The multilateral trading system is stronger when all WTO members can 
benefit from it. Finland’s support to the various WTO trust funds aims to enable developing 
countries, particularly LDC s, to fully participate in multilateral trade so that they may improve their 
development and economic prospects. " 
 
Finland has contributed approximately CHF 17.4 million (approximately EUR 18 million) to WTO 
trust funds over the past 20 years.  
 
 
END 