°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ

°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ: 2005 PRESS RELEASES

Press/410
10 June 2005
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Norway gives 10 million Norwegian Kroner to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ technical assistance

On 10 June 2005, the Government of Norway made a contribution of 10 million Norwegian Kroner (1.9 million Swiss Francs) to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund. This contribution will be used to finance the implementation of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Technical Assistance and Training Plan in 2005.


°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi and the Norwegian Ambassador Eirik Glenne signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the contribution by Norway on 10 June 2005.

“Norway has for several years been a strong supporter of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ 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 °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Technical Assistance Plan for 2005 is a concrete expression of our continued commitment to the efforts of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ to this end.”

“I am extremely grateful to Norway for contributing again to the Doha Development Fund,” said °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.

“We can only reach a successful outcome to the Doha round of negotiations with the full participation of all °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Members. Increasingly, developing countries are expressing the desire to contribute more actively to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ debate. We can help them, through technical assistance.”

Norway is one of the biggest voluntary contributors to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund, with a total contribution so far of 6.4 million Swiss Francs.