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<title>CANADA TO CONTRIBUTE $1.5 MILLION TO CREATE ADVISORY CENTRE ON WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION LAW TO ASSIST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>December 1, 1999 <em>(12:10 p.m. EST)</em> No. 261</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>CANADA TO CONTRIBUTE $1.5 MILLION TO CREATE ADVISORY
CENTRE ON WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION LAW TO ASSIST
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES</strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">The Government of Canada today announced its support for an agreement creating the
Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law. On behalf of Canada, International
Trade Minister Pierre S. Pettigrew will join trade ministers from over 20 countries in
signing the agreement in Seattle today.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In Ottawa, Minister for International Co-operation Maria Minna announced Canada's
contribution of $1.5 million to the Centre, which will provide training and legal
assistance to developing countries to better enable them to participate in World Trade
Organization (WTO) dispute resolution processes and understand their WTO rights and
obligations.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"A credible world trading system must offer equal opportunities for participation to all of
its members. Canada is proud to be a founding member of the WTO Law Advisory
Centre. It's part of our commitment to a universal, rules-based trade system," said
Minister Pettigrew. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"The creation of the Centre is a concrete example of the importance of the WTO and
the positive impact it can have on developing countries," said Minister Minna. "The
Centre will help ensure that developing countries have the necessary knowledge to
compete in the international marketplace."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The WTO is a complex system for ensuring open and fair trading practices, with a
binding dispute settlement mechanism to ensure compliance. Meaningful participation
in the WTO requires a good understanding of its rules and the ability to access its
dispute settlement mechanisms. Many members face considerable obstacles to full
participation due to lack of expertise and financial resources in this specific field of
international law. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The Centre will be established in Geneva as an international organization, independent
of the WTO. Its mandate will be to complement training and technical co-operation
provided by the WTO Secretariat. The Centre will organize seminars on WTO law, and
internships will be open to government officials from developing countries. It will also be
available to provide support throughout specific dispute settlement proceedings. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The aim is to have the Centre operational toward the end of 2000. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Funding for the initiative announced today was provided for in the February 1999
federal budget for the Canadian International Development Agency and is therefore
built into the existing fiscal framework.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Sylvie Bussières</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister for International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 992-7332</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Robin Walsh</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister for International Co-operation</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(819) 953-3160</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(819) 953-6534</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">E-mail: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221142527/mailto:info@acdi-cida-gc.ca">info@acdi-cida.gc.ca</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade's Internet site: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221142527/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a> and on the Internet site for the
Canadian International Development Agency: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221142527/http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/">http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca</a></font></p>
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