Canada Supports Global Food Safety and Trade with CAD 250,000 Contribution

Canada's donation to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) will bolster the capacity of developing countries to comply with international standards, enhancing food security and facilitating trade in agricultural products. The contribution is a significant step towards achieving the STDF's programme goal, with Canada's total contributions amounting to CHF 7.6 million since 2005. This assistance is crucial for developing countries to become better integrated into global markets and uphold rules-based international trade.

Key Takeaways:

• Canada is providing CAD 250,000 (approximately CHF 152,000) to support initiatives strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity in developing and least-developed countries through the STDF.
• The contribution will be key to bolstering developing countries' ability to become better integrated in world markets and uphold rules-based international trade.
• The STDF's new Strategy for 2025-2030 will utilize this contribution to facilitate inclusive and safe trade worldwide in close partnership with Canada.
• Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, stated that the government will continue to support global efforts to adopt international standards for food safety and animal and plant health.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has shared expertise and hosted learning visits and webinars to strengthen the delivery of STDF projects and share Canada's risk-based food safety model.
• This donation underscores Canada's major and long-standing commitment to the STDF's programme goal, bringing its total contributions to CHF 7.6 million since 2005.
• Canada has contributed over CHF 15 million to WTO trust funds over the past 23 years.

Statistics:

• CAD 250,000 (approximately CHF 152,000) is the amount contributed by Canada to support SPS capacity through the STDF.
• CHF 7.6 million is Canada's total contributions to the STDF since 2005.
• CHF 15 million is the total amount contributed by Canada to WTO trust funds over the past 23 years.
• Over 260 safe trade projects have been funded by the STDF, benefiting developing and least-developed country economies.
• The STDF has been operational for over 17 years, with its establishment in 2005.

Sources:

• World Trade Organization press release, date not specified.
• Online application information for STDF project and project preparation grants, available at [information link].