00-5370 MOREPRESS RELEASE
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.PRESS/203
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MOREParticipants:
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 an d Cooperation Agreement with the EU,
Ministry of Industry and Trade, Yerevan.
Bhutan Miss Karma Damcho NIDUP, WTO Offi cer, 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 Serv ice 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, Resear ch Director for WTO Studies, Research
Section, Secretariat for Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce, Tehran.
Lao People's Dem. 
RepublicMr. Khoun SOUTHAMMAKOTH, Deputy Di rector, 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 ofCommerce, 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.PRESS/203
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ENDPhilippines Miss Margaret MARTINEZ, Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist,
Multilateral and Regional Arrangements Division, Bureau of InternationalTrade 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
FederationMiss 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, Hea d, Trade Policy Division, International
Organization Department, Mini stry 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 ofMr. 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
TobagoMiss 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.