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Background

The STDF grew out of a joint communiqué issued by the Heads of FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO and WTO at the Doha Ministerial Conference in November 2001. In the communiqué, the five organizations agreed to jointly explore new technical and financial mechanisms for coordination and resource mobilization and to build alliances between standard setting bodies and the implementing and financing agencies, so as to ensure the most effective use of technical and financial resources.

The five organizations formally established the STDF in August 2002 as a partnership and a trust fund with seed funding from the World Bank and WTO. On 10 September 2004, the partners formally adopted a Business Plan for the STDF. The plan explained the organization and operation of the Facility, including information on project eligibility criteria, project funding possibilities and the project review process. It also expanded membership of the STDF to donors and representatives of developing country beneficiaries.

An independent Evaluation Report of the operation of the Facility was completed in December 2005. A Task Force was established in June 2006 to take forward the Evaluation's conclusions and to make recommendations on funding, appropriate management arrangements and criteria for membership and observer status in the STDF. This led to the adoption of a new Medium Term Strategy for the period 2007-2011 in December 2006.

The Medium Term Strategy aims to move the STDF from its collection of projects into a programme with more clearly defined procedures for funding and a much greater emphasis on co-ordination and the identification and dissemination of good practice in the provision of SPS-related technical co-operation. In addition, a revised set of Operational Rules was adopted, which further clarifies the tasks and responsibilities of the different actors involved in the STDF process and made eligibility criteria more precise. Finally, an Operating Plan for the second and third  years of the Medium Term Strategy (2008-2009) has been adopted. The plan focuses on three main areas: coordination, project development and project funding.

Site Last Updated on February, 2008