PRESS/ 942 
 
18 January 2024  
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PRESS RELEASE  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
Germany gives EUR 1.95 million to boost safe food trade  
The German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is donating 
EUR 1.95 million (approximately CHF 1.85 million)  to the Standards and Trade Development 
Facility (STDF) to enhance developing countries' compliance with international food safety, animal 
and plant health standards for trade. The contribution reflects Germany's commitment to 
strengthening global food systems, protecting resources, improving livelihoods and boosting 
economic development.  
 
WTO Director -General Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala said: "I thank Germany for this donation and its long -
standing partnership with the STDF. By aligning with international food safety standards, 
developing countries will be better positioned to access global markets, promoting economic 
growth, sustainability and job creation. This contribution will fund targeted initiatives, training 
programmes and capacity -building efforts tailored to the unique challenges faced by these 
countries to meet international SPS standards."  
 
Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms Svenja Schulze, said: 
"The Government of Germany is committed to supporting partners i n developing countries in their 
efforts to transform their agriculture and food systems. Recent experience, for instance when it 
comes to the global repercussions of Russia’s war against Ukraine, has shown that diversified 
agricultural trading relations ar e critical, in particular at the inter -regional level. They can provide 
stable and safe food supplies as well as income opportunities through earnings from export. We 
are pleased to expand our collaboration with the STDF to support our partners in their ef forts to 
create the conditions needed for participating in agricultural trade and reaping its benefits for 
sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security for all."  
 
The contribution from Germany will strengthen the ability of small -scale farmers and producers to 
access global and regional markets for food and agriculture products through the roll -out of 
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) projects. These projects will pilot innovative and collaborative 
approaches to facilitate safe trade in a  way that helps to reduce the risk of outbreaks of pests and 
diseases, contributing to safe food systems and reducing and mitigating the impact of climate 
change on food security.  
 
The contribution will also be used to expand the use of innovation across the STDF's knowledge 
work, and to support dissemination and outreach to beneficiaries and other stakeholders across 
agriculture, health, trade and development.   
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  Overall, Germany has contributed CHF 38.3 million to WTO Trust Funds since 2000. To date, BMZ 
has contributed EUR 7.45 million to the STDF.  
 
Developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs) are encouraged to apply for SPS 
project and project preparation grants from the STDF. The next deadline for funding proposals is 
1 March 2024. To d ate, the STDF has funded over 250 projects globally.   
 
Information on how to apply is available  here. 
 
The STDF is a global multi -stakeholder partnership to facilitate safe and inclusive trade, 
established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World 
Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Grou p, the World Organisation for Animal Health 
(WOAH) and the WTO, which houses and manages the partnership.  
 
 
END