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From Bimbola Oyesola
Sweden has given SEK 2 million (just under CHF 170,000) about N296 million to the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Global Trust Fund for 2026 to finance technical assistance and training programmes for government officials from developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) like Nigeria.
The contribution was confirmed at a signing ceremony on 8 May at the WTO attended by Ambassador Nina Tornberg of Sweden and the WTO’s Director of the Finance and Corporate Services Division, Andrew Rizk.
The world trade body said the capacity-building activities by its Secretariat are intended to help government officials broaden their expertise in WTO matters, including their rights and obligations under WTO agreements, and their ability to negotiate trade rules, as well as promote their domestic interests.
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It emphasized that the objective of the Global Trust Fund, which has delivered approximately 2,800 workshops since 2001, is to support developing economies and LDCs in leveraging global trade to drive economic development.
Andrew Rizk said: “I thank Sweden for renewing its invaluable contribution to the Global Trust Fund. Through technical assistance and capacity-building activities, the WTO Secretariat seeks to support developing economies and LDCs in participating fully in the WTO so that they may widen their trading prospects at the global level.”
Ambassador Tornberg said: “Trade is a powerful engine for development. Through Sweden’s contribution to the Global Trust Fund, we are investing in the ability of developing countries, especially least developed countries, to engage effectively in the multilateral trading system and use trade to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth. This reflects Sweden’s longstanding commitment to trade-related capacity-building as an important pillar of our development cooperation and to a strong, rules-based multilateral trading system.”
Since beginning its contributions in 2002, Sweden has provided CHF 70 million to the Global Trust Fund to support the effective participation of all WTO members in trade.
