NEWS ITEM Germany pledges EUR 150,000 to help developing economies meet farm trade standards
Germany is pledging EUR 150,000 (approximately CHF 140,000) in 2024 to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to help developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) improve their sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity. The objective is to increase their access to global and regional markets and contribute to sustainable economic growth, food security and poverty reduction. Germany’s Ambassador to the WTO, Carmen Heidecke, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the German government.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “Germany demonstrates once again its commitment to helping developing countries and LDCs maximize the benefits of trade by improving their ability to comply with SPS requirements. This contribution will allow them to participate more actively in global agricultural markets for the benefit of thousands of farmers.”
Ambassador Heidecke said: “The STDF makes important contributions to help developing countries and LDCs implement SPS standards and tackle global challenges. The German Ministry for Food and Agriculture is therefore very pleased to be renewing its support to help the STDF carry out its projects.”
Overall, Germany has donated CHF 10.6 million to the STDF since 2006 and CHF 38.5 million to the various WTO trust funds over almost 25 years.
The STDF is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to facilitate safe and inclusive trade, established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO, which houses and manages the partnership. The STDF responds to evolving needs, drives inclusive trade and contributes to sustainable economic growth, food security and poverty reduction, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
