France's contribution will support four programmes.
“The French government is particularly attached to technical assistance programmes for three reasons: the broad geographical diversity they offer, their capacity to facilitate exchanges of experiences between different countries, and finally, in ensuring that there is mutual understanding of one another and of perhaps new ideas in order to move forward and help the multilateral trading system remain stable for all of our countries and be a vector for development," said Ambassador Oudot de Dainville.
DDG Zhang said: “The WTO and beneficiaries from technical assistance activities sincerely appreciate France's consistent support, both financial and intellectual, to the WTO's technical assistance. These programmes have been making a difference in helping developing economies and LDCs increase their capacities to participate more fully in the multilateral trading system.”
France has contributed just over EUR 34 million (approximately CHF 33 million) to WTO trust funds over more than 20 years.