Norway donates NOK 1.5 million for food, animal and plant health standards

Norway has provided NOK 1.5 million (about CHF 239,040) to the Standards and Trade Development Facility, a programme set up to help developing countries improve their expertise and their capacity to analyze and implement international standards on food safety and animal and plant health.

The STDF is a joint initiative of the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. 

With this new donation, Norway’s overall contribution to the WTO trust funds has reached CHF 20,202,466 million. Norway’s is one of the biggest contributor to the WTO trust funds.

“Compliance with international standards, especially in the sanitary and phytosanitary area which is technically and scientifically complicated, is often an obstacle for developing countries to fully participate in the multilateral trading system. I welcome Norway’s donation which will facilitate developing countries’ integration in the global economy” declared WTO Director General Pascal Lamy.

“Improving developing countries’ capacity to analyze and implement international sanitary and phytosanitary standards is crucial in gaining and maintaining market access. Norway continuously supports developing countries to improve their trading activities and make trade a tool for development and poverty reduction” stated Norway’s Ambassador, Elin Østebø Johansen