G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
9 November  2023 
(23-7572) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
Addendum  
The following communication, dated  8 November  2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States of America . 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  In 1999, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary  
Measures  (SPS Committee ) initiated a process to gath er information on technical assistance that 
Members have requested, received, or provided in support of the implementation of the 
SPS Agreement since it came into force on 1 January 1995 (see G/SPS/W/101 ). In response to this 
interest, the United States (G/SPS/GEN/181  and addenda ) as well as other donors, includin g Canada 
(G/SPS/GEN/1426 ), the European Union (G/SPS/GEN/1139  and addenda ), and Japan 
(G/SPS/GEN/1160  and addenda ), have submitted periodic reporting on techn ical assistance provided 
in support of implementation of the SPS Agreement.  This submission marks the sixteenth such 
submission by the United States.  
1.2.  The compilation of US technical assistance provided to developing countries and newly acceding 
countries i n this report shows the assistance between 1 October 20 20 and 30 September 20 21. 
In this report, the United States provides details on technical assistance projects in the fields of food 
safety, animal health, plant health, and agricultural biotechnology  collectively valued at more than 
USD 14 million . Forms of assistance include regional trade capacity building workshops, hands -on 
training programs, fellowships and exchanges, and site visits to US research and academic 
institutions.  
1.3.  This reporting period, during which programming was heavily impacted by the COVID -19 
pandemic, demonstrated our commitment to meeting the evolving technical assistance needs of 
developing and least developed countries. We invested resources and adapted activities to support 
new challenges to the application of the SPS Agreement, including moving to virtual and hybrid 
formats for trainings on topics ranging from transboundary animal disease, system -based 
approaches to audit, and pesticide registration for food safety. The United S tates also shared freely 
accessible online resources, including a suite of SPS distance learning courses at 
http://www.spscourses.com/  and disseminated them publicly, including at a side event on the 
margins of the July 2021 SPS Committee meeting.1 Global usership has expanded significantly since 
2020 and now has reached more than 15,000 individuals in more than 240 countries.  
1.4.  The United States continues to value  the provision of technical assistance in support of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement.  This is a timely topic as the Committee prepares to report  
on the work program of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Declaration for t he Twelfth WTO Ministerial 
 
1 G/SPS/GEN/1914 . G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
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  Conference: Responding to Modern SPS Challenges (WT/MIN (22)/27) at the upcoming Thirteenth 
WTO Ministerial Conference . 
1.5.  US technical assistance programs assist developing countries, least developing countries, and 
newly accedi ng countries in building  and implementing effective, transparent, and science -based 
regulatory systems to protect human, animal, and plant health while facilitating trade in agricultural 
products. These programs seek to foster a clear understanding of key SPS provisions in international 
and bilateral trade agreements. The United States continues to develop and implement demand -
driven assistance within a framework of mutual respect and accountability which, from our 
experience, provides the strongest framewo rk for delivering enduring results.  
1.6.  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA ) implements many of these technical assistance 
activities in partnership with other US Government agencies, international organizations, US colleges 
and universities, agri -businesse s, and private consultants.  This report includes a list of the key 
US Government agencies involved in the provision of technical assistance to developing countries, 
least developing countries, and newly acceding countries, as well as a list of representative activities 
conducted in the specified reporting period.  The lists are not exhaustive.  
2  KEY US AGENCIES INVOLVED IN PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
2.1.  Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS ) – APHIS is a lead US government 
agency in int ernational SPS standard setting activities in the areas of animal health and plant health. 
APHIS international technical and regulatory capacity building activities are conducted on the basis 
of requests from other countries or from US government agencies involved in international technical 
assistance. APHIS has staff positioned globally in 46 overseas offices assisting in both import and 
export issues. APHIS partners with international agricultural organizations, such as the World 
Organization for Animal H ealth (WOAH ), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the 
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Inter -American Institute for 
Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) to achieve and advance science -based SPS objectiv es globally.  
2.2.  Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP ) – CLDP is a division of the US Department 
of Commerce that helps achieve US foreign policy goals in developing and post -conflict countries 
through commercial legal reforms. Partnering with the federal judiciary, other US government 
agencies, and international organizations, CLDP designs and implements conferences and 
workshops, utilizes long and short -term advisors, and trains foreign delegations in the United States 
and other countries to improve comme rcial legal frameworks. These frameworks strengthen 
standards, food safety, and animal and plant health agencies; utilize international best practices to 
reduce impediments to trade; increase transparency regarding specific SPS concerns; and develop 
early notification systems for emerging impediments to bilateral and regional trade.  
2.3.  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – EPA works closely with the USDA Foreign 
Agricultural Service and other US agencies to provide scientific and policy expertise for the 
establishment of standards and requirements regarding sound pesticide and chemical management 
practices based on science. EPA, considered one of the world 's leading authorities on the regulation 
of pesticides, has worked extensively with other countries both bilaterally and through international 
fora to promote harmonized maximum residue limits.  
2.4.  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – FDA is the agency within the Department of Health 
and Human Services responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, 
and security of domestically produced and imported foods, as well as human and veterinary drugs, 
food additives, and supplements. FDA maintains an international presence and works with many 
other US agencies to provide public health and f ood safety technical expertise to our trading 
partners.  
2.5.  Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS ) – FSIS is the USDA 's public health regulatory 
agency, responsible for ensuring that the nation 's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg 
products , whether domestic or imported,  is safe, wholesome, and proper ly labeled and packaged. 
FSIS has significant expertise in helping foreign governments understand the food safety regulatory 
system of the United States.  G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
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  2.6.  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) – FAS h as the primary responsibility for coordinating 
and implementing USDA 's international trade policy, promotion, and capacity building activities. 
FAS provides technical assistance through fellowships and scientific exchange programs, such as the 
Cochran and Borlaug fellowship programs, as well as through the dispatch of USDA advisors and 
experts from other US food regulatory agencies to assist foreign policymakers, regulators, scientists, 
and the private sector to address complex, trade -related issues such as  SPS compliance and 
applications of agricultural biotechnology.  
2.7.  US Agency for International Development (USAID ) – USAID is the lead US government 
agency delivering development assistance worldwide. USAID provides assistance to support country, 
regional, an d global strategies that facilitate trade and strengthen SPS systems. Technical assistance 
builds the capacity needed to support policy and systems change, enabling implementation of the 
WTO SPS Agreement and adherence to regional and international SPS sta ndards.  
  
  G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
- 4 - ILLUSTRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES  OF AMERICA  
TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES , LEAST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  AND NEWLY ACCEDING COUNTRIES  
BETWEEN 1 OCTOBER 20 20 AND 30 SEPTEMBER 20 21 
Sector  Activity Description  Form of assistance  Implementing Subagency  Provided to  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Scientific Cooperation Research Program supports joint 
research, education, and extension projects between US 
and international agricultural professionals.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Global  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Engagement with Georgia on the adoption of science -
based, trade -facilitating SPS regulations.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Georgia  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The Borlaug Fellowship Program promotes food security and 
economic growth by providing training and collaborative 
research opportunities to fellows from developing and 
middle -income countries. Borlaug fellows are generally 
scientists, researchers, o r policymakers who are in the early 
or middle stages of their careers. Each fellow works one -
on-one with a mentor at a US university, research center or 
government agency, usually for 8 -12 weeks.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural  Service (FAS)  Global  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The Food Safety Network program is intended to strengthen 
impact, leverage resources, and improve coordination of 
capacity building for food safety, animal health, and plant 
health.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), US 
Agency for International Development 
(USAID)  Global  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Contribution to the Standards and Trade Develop ment 
Facility (STDF) support a variety of SPS activities 
worldwide.  Technical Assistance  Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), US 
Agency for International Development 
(USAID)  Global  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Part of the Global Food Security Program (GFSP), the Feed 
the Future (FTF) initiative, the Initiative to End Hunger in 
Africa (IEHA), and the African Growth Opportunity Act 
(AGOA). The Sub -Saharan Africa Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary (SPS) program incl udes capacity building in 
plant health, animal health, and food safety systems. The 
objective is to harmonize SPS regulations with international 
standards to enhance food security and increase export 
opportunities for horticultural, animal, and processed f ood 
products through scientific and regulatory capacity building.  Advice, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Sub-Saharan Africa 
Region  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Engagement with Ukraine on the adoption of science -based, 
trade -facilitating SPS regulations.  Advice, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Ukraine   
  G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
- 5 - Sector  Activity Description  Form of assistance  Implementing Subagency  Provided to  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The Faculty Exchange Program supports agricultural 
educators from institutions of higher learning in de veloping 
countries who come to the US for one academic semester 
to acquire new knowledge and enhance their ability to 
teach and build curricula at the university level.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Global  
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Program focuses on increasing Bangladesh’s ability to 
sustainably adopt and implement its obligations under the 
SPS Agreement. The program strengthens the National 
Plant Protection Organization’s phytosanitary capacity and 
the gov ernment’s function to comply with pesticide 
international trade standards.  Advice, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Bangladesh  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The goal of the Trade Central Asia activity is to improve 
region -wide trade connectivity to accelerate economic 
growth and increase economic opportunity in Central Asia 
through harmonization of customs and border procedures, 
increasing public -private dialogue on trade and investment, 
improving cross -border firm -to-firm connectivity, and 
addressing gender -relevant trade issues.  Technical Assistance  US Agency for International Development 
(USAID)  Central Asia Region  
Food Safety  The Global Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) Capacity 
Building Program focusing on harmonizat ion of pesticide 
MRL standards and registration processes in Latin America, 
Africa and Asia  Advice, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Global  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) 
organized and facilitated meetings of the Regional Working 
Group on Sanitary/Phytosanitary Measures; brought 
together Agriculture, Sanitary, Phytosanitary and/or Food 
Safety officials from each country in Central Asia to 
facilitate increased working -level communication and 
cooperation among officials and agencies in Central Asia, 
and to model and facilitate intergovernmental, inter -
agency, and public -private cooperation.  Advice, Training  Department of Commerce  Central Asia Region  
Animal Health, 
Plant Healt h, 
Food Safety  The Scientific Exchanges Program aims to educate a new 
generation of agricultural scientists and foster collaborative 
research internationally. The program can also help open 
markets and decrease or eliminate trade barriers, which 
ultimately  creates new opportunities for US agricultural 
exports.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Global  
Food Safety  The Institutionalization of Food Safety in Bangladesh for 
Safer Food is aimed at providing necessary support by 
improving the integration of the national food safety control 
system and by enhancing inter -agency collaboration and 
cooperation. This is expect ed to lead to greater consistency 
in enforcement of risk -based regulations and a safer food 
supply.  Technical Assistance  US Agency for International Development 
(USAID)  Bangladesh   
  G/SPS/GEN/181/Add.16  
 
- 6 - Sector  Activity Description  Form of assistance  Implementing Subagency  Provided to  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The CLDP facilitates a capacity building workshop for 
Moldovan agriculture and trade officials on best practices in 
transparent and effective implementation of the WTO SPS 
Agreement.  Advice, Training  Department of Commerce  Moldova , Republic of  
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  Engageme nt on trade related technical regulations to 
support bilateral and regional adoption of science -based, 
trade -facilitating regulations and practices.  Advice, Training  Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)  Latin America and 
Caribbean Region  
Animal Health, 
Plant Health, 
Food Safety  The Cochran Fellowship Program supports short -term, US-
based training opportunities  for agricultural professionals 
from developing and middle -income countries.  Advice, Subject Matter 
Expert, Training  Foreign Agricultural S ervice (FAS)  Global  
Animal Health  High Containment Laboratory Practices and Techniques 
Seminar  Disease Response 
Investigation  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  Global  
Animal Health  Emergency Poultry Disease Response and Regionalization 
Symposium and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Quality 
Assurance Symposium  Disease Response 
Investigation  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  Global  
Animal Health  V RESUDIA Workshop  Disease Response 
Investigation  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  South America  
Animal Health  Animal Health and Economics Seminar (Virtual)  Subject Matter Expert  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  Botswana, Nigeria , 
South Africa  
Biotechnology  Biosafety Framework (Virtual)  Subject Matter Expert  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  Myanmar  
Biotechnology  Gene Editing Workshop (Virtual)  Subject Matter Expert  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  Korea , Republic of  
Biotechnology  International Food Safety Conference (Virtual)  Disease Response 
Investigation  Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS)  United Arab Emirates  
Food Safety  Implementation of US Food Safety Modernization Act - 
Identifying, Researching and Implementing Alternative 
Methods to Expand the Reach Across the Global Supply 
Chain  Technical Assistance  Food and Drug Administ ration (FDA)  Global  
Food Safety  Improving water and soil quality to decrease the number of 
foodborne pathogens that could contaminate the food 
supply  Technical Assistance  Food and Drug Administ ration (FDA)  Global  
Food Safety  Increasing the international food safety capacity building 
efforts in Latin America via  the Joint Institute for Food 
Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) and the Latin 
American Water Study  Technical Assistance  Food and Drug Administ ration (FDA)  Latin America and 
Caribbean Region  
Food Safety  Webinar: What to expect from a US FDA fish and fi shery 
products facility inspection (Virtual)  Advice, Training  Food and Drug Administ ration (FDA)  India 
 
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