 
 
     PRESS RELEASE 
 
PRESS/372 
19 March 2004 
 
(04-1263) 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
Norway donates 10 million Norweg ian Kroner to WTO technical 
assistance 
On 15 March 2004, the Government of Norway made a contribution of 10 million Norwegian 
Kroner (1.8 million Swiss Francs) to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund.  This 
contribution will be used to finance the implementation of the WTO Technical Assistance and 
Training Plan in 2004. 
 
WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi and the Norwegian Ambassador Eirik Glenne signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the contribution by Norway on 15 March 2004.  
“Norway has for several years been a strong supporter of the WTO trade-related technical 
assistance to developing, and in particular least-developed countries” said Norwegian Ambassador Eirik Glenne.  “Contributing to the strengthening of the capacity of the developing and the least-
developed countries to make full use of the multilateral trading system is an important political 
priority of the Norwegian government.  Today’s contribution to the WTO Technical Assistance Plan for 2004 is a concrete expression of our continued commitment to the efforts of the WTO to this 
end.” 
 “I am extremely grateful to Norway for contributing again to the Doha Development Fund,” said 
WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.  “We can only reach a successful outcome to the 
Doha round of negotiations with the full participation of all WTO Members.  Increasingly, developing countries are expressing the desire to contribute more actively to the WTO debate. We 
can help them, through technical assistance.” 
 Norway is one of the biggest voluntary contributors to WTO technical assistance activities since 
1995, with a total of 8.7 million Swiss Francs.  
 The Doha Fund was established following the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Doha in 
November 2001, which launched a new round of negotiations.  In December 2003, the General 
Council approved a target amount of 24 million Swiss Francs for the Trust Fund for 2004.   
 
END 