STDF Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Milestone Year Achievements

The STDF annual report covers a momentous year for the partnership, marking its 20th anniversary in 2024 and highlighting significant achievements, including strengthened SPS capacity in developing countries and mainstreaming gender and environmental issues. The report also features an external evaluation of the STDF's performance, showcasing its continued relevance and high satisfaction among stakeholders. Key results from 2024 demonstrate the partnership's effectiveness in driving safe and inclusive trade, with notable successes in countries like India and Guinea.

Key Takeaways:

• The STDF made significant progress in enhancing SPS measures across 11 countries and supporting SPS legislative, regulatory, and policy changes in 19 countries.
• A spices project in India improved safety and quality, enabling over 80% of tested spices to meet Codex Alimentarius MRLs for increased access to premium markets.
• In Guinea, an STDF project strengthened the country's phytosanitary system, securing mango export approval for the EU market and increasing potato production by 112%, which opened new opportunities for agricultural exports.
• The STDF continued addressing gender challenges through its Gender Action Plan, identifying gender needs and opportunities in over 10 countries and enhancing attention to gender equality in SPS capacity development.
• An assessment on attention to the environment, biodiversity, and climate resilience in the STDF's work recognized that two-thirds of project applications explicitly address environmental factors.
• An external evaluation confirmed the STDF's continued relevance and high satisfaction among stakeholders, contributing to the development of the partnership's new Strategy for 2025-2030.

Statistics:

• The STDF supported the implementation of SPS measures in 11 countries.
• The partnership supported SPS legislative, regulatory, and policy changes in 19 countries.
• The STDF's spices project in India achieved an 80% success rate in meeting Codex Alimentarius MRLs.
• Potato production in Guinea increased by 112% following an STDF project.
• Over 10 countries were identified as having gender needs and opportunities through the STDF's Gender Action Plan.
• Two-thirds of project applications explicitly address factors related to the environment.
• The STDF collaborated with over 10 countries in addressing gender challenges.

Sources:

• World Trade Organization. (2024). STDF Annual Report 2024.
• STDF. (2024). Press Release: STDF Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Milestone Year Achievements.