 PRESS RELEASE
PRESS/296
6 June 2002
(02-3152)
Italy contributes 1 million euro to the WTO Doha Development
Agenda Global Trust Fund
The Italian government today confirmed a donation of  1 million euro (about CHF 1.45 million) for the
year 2002 to the WTO Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund.
Italian Ambassador Andrea Negrotto Cambiaso and WTO Director General Mike Moore signed today
a Memorandum of Understanding affirming this commitment.
"Italy fully shares the goals outlined in the Doha Ministerial Declaration according to which
substantial technical assistance and capacity building should be provided to developing and least-developed countries and low-income countries in transition in order to help them adjust to WTO rules
and disciplines, implement obligations and exercise the rights of membership, including drawing on
the benefits of an open, rules-based multilateral trading system," Amb. Negrotto Cambiaso said. "Any
form of cooperation should mainly, and above all, enable them to exercise fully the rights stemming
from belonging to the Organization and to benefit fr om the advantages of an open multilateral trading
system based on negotiated rules and predictable procedures."
"I am particularly grateful to Italy for its donation to the WTO Doha Development Agenda Global
Trust Fund," said Director-General Mike Moore. "This contribution is in accordance with the
December 2001 decision by the WTO General Council to establish a sound and predictable basis for
funding WTO Trade-Related Technical Assistance. Italy's contribution will help to build capacity fordeveloping countries to participate in the multilateral trading system, advance their interests, conclude
agreements and implement them. It will also help de veloping countries to participate in the current
round of trade negotiations launched by Ministers in Doha last November. The potential benefits from
this round are enormous, especially in areas of particular interest to developing countries such as
agriculture, fisheries, services and market access.  That's why developing countries want this round
concluded by the 2005 deadline."
The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund was created following the WTO Ministerial
Conference in Doha, in November 2001, which launched a new round of negotiations. On 11 March
2002 WTO Member Governments pledged  CHF 30 million to the fund.
ENDS