°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.