Ireland will donate approximately $401,521 to help increase the trade know-how of developing countries and “least-developed countries” through partnerships with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In 2022, a total of over $200,760 will go to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), a partnership that WTO supports, a WTO news release said.
“This global partnership supports and finances projects in developing countries to help farmers, processors, exporters and governments comply with international standards for agricultural products and connect with global markets,” the release said. “The contribution to the STDF will be used for projects and programmes in line with the STDF's Work Plan 2022.”
Another $200,760 will be for the French and Irish Mission Internship Programme (FIMIP), which through the WTO provides “support to the small missions in Geneva to help them follow WTO-related work,” the WTO website said.
“Interns under the FIMIP are attached to their country's mission in Geneva for a maximum duration of 10 months,” the release said. “They are considered as a delegate of their country and can represent it in WTO meetings and committees.”
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Ambassador Michael Gaffey of Ireland both said the donation was important.
“The continuous generosity of Ireland will help support multilateral trade negotiations by providing developing and LDC members with the necessary tools to participate fully in the trading system,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in the release. Strengthening trade-related capacity in beneficiary countries where government officials can develop their expertise on WTO activities will benefit the whole membership.”
Gaffey emphasized Ireland’s continued commitment “to enhance the trading capacities of developing countries and their participation in trade negotiations.”
Over the past 20 years, Ireland donated over $14 million to several World Trade Organization trust funds.
“This is especially timely after the Aid for Trade Global Review at the end of last month and the highly successful 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in June,” Gaffey said in the release.
WTO ensures that trade between nations “flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible,” its website said.