Germany has committed €150,000 (approximately CHF 140,000) for 2024 to support developing and least-developed countries (LDCs) in strengthening their sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacities. The funding, directed toward the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), aims to enhance these countries’ access to global and regional markets, fostering sustainable growth, food security, and poverty reduction.
The agreement was formalized by Germany’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Carmen Heidecke, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the German government. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised the commitment, highlighting Germany’s ongoing support for enabling developing economies to comply with SPS requirements, which will open new opportunities for farmers in global agricultural markets.
Ambassador Heidecke noted that Germany’s Ministry for Food and Agriculture values the STDF’s contributions, making this renewed support a key step in addressing global challenges related to food safety and trade standards. Germany has contributed CHF 10.6 million to the STDF since 2006 and CHF 38.5 million to WTO trust funds over the past 25 years, furthering efforts aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
