U.S. CONTRIBUTES $1 MILLION TO WTO TRADE DEVELOPMENT TRUST

U.S. CONTRIBUTES $1 MILLION TO WTO TRADE DEVELOPMENT TRUST    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the United States would contribute $1 million to a voluntary World Trade Organization Global Trust Fund to provide technical assistance to developing countries seeking to expand trade.
   “The Doha Development Agenda offers great promise to the developing world,” said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier at the WTO senior officials meeting in Geneva, April 2. “But unfortunately, many developing countries do not have the capacity to fully participate, which not only dampens their voice but slows down the negotiations.”
   This contribution is in addition to the U.S. government’s large bilateral assistance programs that total $638 million in 2002, up from $598 million in 2001.
   The Geneva meeting was held in preparation for the trade negotiations at the 5th WTO Ministerial Meeting in Cancun, Mexico, Sept. 10-14.