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WTO NEWS: 2000 PRESS RELEASES

Press/203
8 December 2000

Mike Moore presides over diploma ceremony ending WTO’s 15th Trade Policy Course

Officials from 28 governments — from Algeria to Vanuatu — received diplomas on 8 December 2000 from WTO Director General Mike Moore at the end of the 15th Trade Policy Course at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva.

Speaking in a short ceremony, Mr Moore stressed that the organization needs to be put in a position to do more in the area of training and to expand the number of participants to its courses.

He said that he is personally convinced that the courses and other training activities significantly help the beneficiary countries strengthen their capability to participate in the multilateral trading system. This, he added, produces lasting benefits both for the governments concerned and for the trading system.

Participating in this course were officials from trade ministries in developing and least developed countries, and transition economies, some from governments currently negotiating membership in the WTO. On behalf of the participants, Mr. Georges Singana Maniuri from Vanuatu expressed the group's gratitude for the WTO Secretariat’s efforts in providing the course.

Mr. Maniuri assured the WTO Director General that this course has reinforced the participants’ abilities to defend the interests of their respective countries and to increase their participation in the multilateral trading system.

He said participants will use the knowledge acquired and disseminate it when they return to their own countries.WTO Deputy Director General Paul-Henri Ravier also highlighted the necessity for the participants to build on the knowledge and experience they have acquired during the three-month course held at the WTO.

He underlined the importance of maintaining and strengthening the network which has been established during the Course among participants themselves and between participants and WTO staff.

The 15th WTO Trade Policy Course lasted from 18 September to 8 December. Three more courses are planned for 2001.

 

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Participants:

Algeria Miss Dalila BOUBENIDER, Deputy Director, General Direction of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Alger.
Armenia Mr. Vache KIRAKOSYAN, Head, Department of the WTO Affairs and Implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Yerevan.
Bhutan

Miss Karma Damcho NIDUP, WTO Officer, Department of Trade, Foreign Trade Division, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Thimphu.

Botswana

Mr. Kedibonye LALETSANG, Principal Commercial Officer, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Gaborone.

Burundi

Miss Gaudence KANYANGE, Lawyer Adviser, Office of the Permanent Secretary of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Bujumbura.

Egypt

Mr. Yehia ABDEL HALIM, Commercial Attaché, WTO Unit, International Organization Department, Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade, Cairo.

Ghana

Mr. Kwadwo Ntim ATUAHENE, Senior Commercial Officer, Foreign Trade, Multilateral and Bilaterals Division, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Accra.  

Guyana

Mr. Adam St'John LYNCH, Foreign Service Officer II, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Georgetown.

Hong Kong, China

Mr. Cheuk Hang WONG, Trade Officer, Multilateral Division, Trade and Industry Department, Mongkok.

Iran

Miss Mandana FAZEL-SARJUI, Research Director for WTO Studies, Research Section, Secretariat for Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce, Tehran.

Lao People's Dem. Republic

Mr. Khoun SOUTHAMMAKOTH, Deputy Director, Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Tourism, Vientiane

Malawi

Mr. Emmanuel Mtotomoka MUNTHALI, Trade Officer, Commerce Department (External Trade), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Lilongwe.

Maldives

Mr. Abdulla THAWFEEQ, Trade Promotion Officer, International Cooperation Division, Ministry of Trade and Industries, Male. 

Nigeria

Mrs. Rita Watirahyel Ladi MSHELIA, Principal Commercial Officer, Department of External Trade, Multilateral Trade Division, Federal Ministry of Commerce, Abuja.

Oman

Miss Hilda Ali AL-HINAI, Representative of the Sultanate Office to WTO, Permanent Mission of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations in Geneva, Geneva.

Philippines

Miss Margaret MARTINEZ, Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist, Multilateral and Regional Arrangements Division, Bureau of International Trade Relations, Makati City.

Qatar

Mr. Faisal Abdulla AL-MANA, Trade Researcher for WTO Affairs, Commerce Department, Ministry of Finance, Economy and Commerce, Doha.  

Romania

Miss Carmen Florina FRATITA, Expert, Directorate for Multilateral Relations - WTO, Trade Department, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Bucharest.

Russian

Federation

Miss Olga ANUROVA, Counsellor, Customs Tariffs Control and Domestic Market Protection, Ministry of Trade, Moscow.

Saint Lucia

Miss Hyacinth RAMSAY, Foreign Service Officer III, Trade and Legal Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Castries.

Saudi Arabia

Mr. Mohammad AL-AIYASH, Head, Trade Policy Division, International Organization Department, Ministry of Commerce, Riyadh.

Sri Lanka

Mr. Vengadasalam Sithanbaram SIDATH KUMAR, Assistant Director of Commerce, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Internal and International Commerce and Food, Colombo.

Chinese Taipei

Mr. Wei-lien William LIU, First Commercial Secretary, Third Division, Board of Foreign Trade, Taipei.

Tanzania United

Republic of

Mr. Ulimbakisya Faustin Syangundupu KAMOLA, Assistant Director, Trade Policy Section, Division of Trade, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dar Es Salaam.

Thailand

Miss Naratchata INTARAPRASIT, Trade Officer, Bureau of Multilateral Trade Negotiation, Department of Business Economics, Ministry of Commerce, Bangkok.

Trinidad and

Tobago

Miss Donna Jacqueline DE FOUR, Senior Economist, Hemispheric/International Trade, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Consumer Affairs, Port-of-Spain.

Turkey

Mr. Mesut KOC, Attaché, General Directorate of Multilateral Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ankara.

Vanuatu

Mr. Georges Singana MANIURI, Director General, Director General's Office, Ministry of Trade and Business Development, Vila.