PRESS/64
27January 1997
THE NETHERLANDS CONTRIBUTES 4MILLION
DUTCH GUILDERS TOWTO 'STRUST FUND
FOR TECHNICAL COOPERATION
TheNetherlands today pledged 4million Dutch Guilders (around $2.3million) fortheWTO 's
technical cooperation activities. Atasigning ceremony attheWTO 'sheadquarters,
H.E. Mrs. Evelien Herfkens made thecontribution onbehalf ofthePermanent Mission ofthe
Kingdom oftheNetherlands. Thecontribution willgotowards theWTO 'stechnical cooperation
activities fordeveloping countries andeconomies intransition.
TheNetherlands announced itsintention toassist theWTO withitstechnical cooperation
activities attheWTO 'sMinisterial Conference inSingapore lastDecember. Atthetime,
H.E. Mrs. Anneke VanDok-Van Weele, Minister ofForeign Trade oftheNetherlands, emphasized
theneedfordeveloping countries aswellaseconomies intransition toparticipate fullyintheWTO.
Inthiscontext, shestressed theimportance oftechnical cooperation inassisting countries tobenefit
fullyfrom themultilateral trading system.
Monday 'scontribution willbeplaced inatrustfundwhich theWTO established lastyearfor
voluntary contributions from itsMembers fortechnical cooperation activities.
END
97-0294