Japan gives CHF 125,000 to help LDCs participate in fisheries subsidies discussions

The government of Japan is contributing CHF 125,000 to the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Fund for least-developed countries (LDCs). The fund was established in May 2019 at the request of LDC members of the WTO to cover travel expenses of their officials travelling to Geneva to take part in the negotiations to discipline harmful fisheries subsidies.

"I thank Japan for helping LDCs to be able to share their priorities,"

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. "If we are to make the WTO rule book more responsive to sustainability challenges and boost the role of the WTO as a multilateral negotiating forum, we need all WTO members to be sitting at the table."

Japan's WTO Ambassador, Kazuyuki Yamazaki, said: "Fisheries subsidies disciplines are crucial for our future marine resource sustainability. In these final stages of negotiations for the 12th Ministerial Conference, full engagement from all WTO members, including LDCs, is highly important."

Japan is the first WTO member to contribute to this fund in 2021. Overall, Japan has contributed CHF 11.3 million to the various WTO trust funds over nearly 20 years.