Mrs. Valentine Rugwabiza, WTO Deputy Director-General and ad interim Director of the Institute for Training and Technical Co-operation (ITTC), chaired the Diploma Ceremony held on the occasion of the closure of the 42nd Trade Policy Course (English).

Twenty-five Government officials from developing countries and economies in transition concluded, on 7th December, a three-month immersion into the WTO. The 42nd Trade Policy Course (TPC) was organized by the ITTC, and held in Geneva, at the WTO Headquarters.

In her address to the participants, Mrs. Rugwabiza congratulated them for completing successfully the training programme. She expressed the hope that the knowledge and skills acquired by the participants would be disseminated to as wide a public as possible. She underscored the importance this course represented for each country in terms of capacity building. Mrs. Valentine Rugwabiza also invited the participants to keep alive the network of contacts, created and consolidated amongst participants, speakers and trainers during this Geneva-based activity.

On behalf of the participants of the 42nd TPC, Ms. Rula Al-Mhessawi from the Syrian Arab Republic thanked the Secretariat for the results of the efforts devoted to the training activities and highlighted the very high level of interaction reached during this activity.

Trade Policy Courses are expected to promote a more active participation of beneficiary countries in the work of the Organization. Throughout the three-month training, officials become acquainted, through lectures, debates, attendance at WTO meetings and simulation exercises, with virtually all the issues dealt with within the framework of the WTO. Presentations by and meetings with other international organizations located in Geneva also provide an opportunity to become familiar with trade-related aspects of the work conducted by these organizations.

This three-month Trade Policy Course was the last activity held in Geneva in 2007. The programme of the year 2008 for the training activities carried out by the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation at the Headquarters of the Organization will consist of four three-month Trade Policy Courses, two Introductory Courses on the WTO for the least developed countries and several other thematic courses, including those on trade negotiations and dispute settlement. In parallel with these training activities organized in Geneva, five regional trade policy courses lasting three months will also be organized in the field in 2008 in cooperation with local and regional partner institutions.

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42nd Trade Policy Course
17 September – 7 December 2007