Bush administration gives $1 million to WTO trade assistance

Bush administration gives $1 million to WTO trade assistance    The Bush administration will contribute about $1 million in trade-related help to the World Trade Organization.
   With this contribution, the United States has given $6 million to the WTO since November 2001. Congress appropriated the recent contribution to the WTO as part of the funds it provides to the State Department for voluntary contributions to international organizations.
   The WTO’s technical assistance program helps developing countries understand their trade obligations and benefit from the WTO negotiations.
   Total U.S. funding for trade capacity building activities in fiscal 2005 was $1.3 billion, up from $903 million the year before. At the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman announced plans to more than double U.S. contributions to global trade aid to $2.7 billion in grants annually by 2010.
   The World Bank estimates that global free trade in goods would increase developing countries’ income by $142 billion in 2015.