Ireland has stepped up its support for global food safety and trade, contributing €200,000 (approximately CHF 190,000) to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF). This latest contribution raises Ireland’s total support to over €2.9 million (CHF 2.8 million) since 2007, highlighting its ongoing dedication to ensuring safer and more equitable global trade.
The World Trade Organization (WTO), a key partner in the STDF, expressed gratitude for Ireland’s unwavering support. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the tangible benefits of this funding, particularly for small-scale farmers and producers in developing and least-developed countries (LDCs) who often face steep challenges in meeting the sanitary and phytosanitary standards necessary for international trade.
“Small-scale farmers and producers in developing and least-developed countries often face significant hurdles in accessing global food markets, particularly in meeting sanitary and phytosanitary standards.” said Okonjo-Iweala. “Through the work of the STDF, made possible by contributions like Ireland’s, these challenges are being overcome, helping people in developing countries raise their incomes through trade while enhancing global food safety and security.”
Ireland’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Sean Fleming, reinforced Ireland’s dedication to the STDF’s mission. “This donation underscores Ireland’s long-standing commitment to the Standards and Trade Development Facility’s mission, bringing its total contributions to over €2.9 million (CHF 2.8 million) since 2007. Ireland is proud to support the important work of STDF in building safe, sustainable and inclusive global trade,” Fleming said.
The STDF, established through a partnership that includes the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Group, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the WTO, plays a vital role in helping developing nations and LDCs gain access to global and regional markets. Through its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) project grants, the facility helps these countries meet the necessary standards for international trade.
Since its inception, the STDF has funded over 250 projects, significantly bolstering the trade capabilities of LDCs and other developing nations. These initiatives are closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), driving economic growth, food security, and poverty reduction.
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