Academic institutions in the WTO Chairs Programme receive financial and technical support from the WTO for trade-related research, curriculum development and outreach activities. The objective is to boost the capacity of these institutions to advise WTO member governments and key stakeholders on trade policy issues.

Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “I thank Austria for renewing its valuable contribution to the WTO Chairs Programme, an important tool for promoting academic research and supporting the participation of developing economies and LDCs in trade. Through this global platform, trade policy-making can be better leveraged to raise living standards, create jobs and advance sustainable development.”

Austria's Minister for Labour and Economy, Martin Kocher, said: “Austria's new contribution to the Global Trust Fund — and in particular to the Chairs Programme — highlights our commitment to further strengthen the understanding of global and regional trade issues in developing economies and LDCs. Keeping markets open, supporting trade policy measures on all levels and promoting a level playing field in multilateral trade is of utmost importance to our open and export-oriented economy, especially during these challenging times. The WTO's Global Trust Fund and the Chairs Programme have an important role to play within this framework. By working together and aligning our combined strengths, we can strongly contribute to boosting economic growth and creating jobs in these countries for the benefit of us all.”

Overall, Austria has contributed CHF 6 million to the various WTO Trust Funds over more than 20 years.