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7 January 2021 
(21-0236) Page: 1/1 
    
 
PRESS RELEASE  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Austria donates EUR 200,000 to support trade -related academic 
activities  
The government of Austria has contribut ed EUR 200,000 (CHF 215,000)  in 2021 to the Global 
Trust Fund (GTF) dedicated to supporting the new phase of the WTO Chairs Programme. The 
objective of this initiative is to help academic institutions in developing countries and 
least-developed countries (LDCs) build their expertise i n trade policy, international trade  
economics , international relations and international economic law.   
 
Under this capacity -building programme, partner institutions receive  financial and technical 
support from the WTO for trade -related research, curriculum development and outreach activities.  
The Programme helps to develop institutional capacity  to advise governments and key 
stakeholders on trade policy issues.  
 
In December, the WTO launched a call for applications  for the Programme 's new phase . 
Universities and research institutions in developing countries, LDCs,  recently  acceded  WTO 
members and acceding governments are currently invited to submit their applications. Since the 
launch of the Programme ten years ago, the WTO has provided financial support to 19 institutions 
in countries across Africa, Asia and South and Central America in the form of yearly grants of up to 
CHF 50,000 per chair for a maximum of four years.  The Programme has successfully generated 
strong links with government policy makers, business stakeholders and research institutions within 
a network of universities in all continents.  
 
Deputy Director -General  Yonov Frederick Agah , who oversees developme nt matters in the WTO, 
said: "Austria's contribution is very welcome. It will pave the way for facilitating new research and 
policy advice to help policymakers in developing countries and LDCs develop trade -related 
strategies to boost export opportunities and further their countries' integration into the global 
economy ." 
 
Austria's  Federal Minister for Digital, Business and Enterprise, Margarete Schramböck, stated:  
"This is Austria's first GTF donation to the WTO Chairs Programme, one of the W TO's technical 
assistance activities that Austria has followed with great interest for several years . Overall, Austria 
has donated over CHF 5 million to the various WTO trust funds over nearly 20 years."  
 
 
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