MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/221
25 April 2001
(01-2074)
WTO STARTS 17TH TRADE POLICY COURSE
On 22 April twenty-seven officials, largely from least-developed countries, were welcomed to
the headquarters of the World Trade Organization at an inaugural ceremony to launch the 17th Trade
Policy Course held under the aegis of the WTO.
Mr. Paul-Henri Ravier, Deputy Director-General  of the WTO, welcomed the organization of a
training course in French, one of the Organization's three official languages.  Greeting the
participants, he noted the benefits to be drawn not only from the instruction they would receive in the
course of three-month's training but also, and perhaps more importantly, the experience to be gleanedfrom three months at the Secretariat and direct contact with delegates from the 140 countries and
customs territories that currently make up the WTO.
Referring to the challenges facing the multilateral trading system today, Mr. Ravier
emphasized that they were illustrated in part by the fact that African countries and a number of least-developed countries were so strongly represented at the 17
th Trade Policy Course.  Greeting officials
from countries in the process of acceding to the WTO, he expressed his conviction that training
activities were a key to active participation by all partners in development and to adapting the rules of
the multilateral trading system.
The trade policy courses were launched in 1995 under the aegis of the GATT and have
become a beacon of the WTO's technical assistance activities.  Three twelve-week courses are
organized every year at WT O headquarters in Geneva.PRESS/221
Page 2
MORELIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Albania Miss Ejana XHIXHA, Vice-Chairperson, Insurance Supervision Commission,
Council of Ministers, Tirana.
Angola Mr. Alain Michel LUVAMBANO, Attorney, Legal Department, National
Shippers' Council (CNC), Ministry of Transport/Ministry of Trade, Luanda.
Benin Ms Sophie Dagbe TOPANOU, Officer, WTO Reference Centre, Directorate of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade, Handicrafts and Tourism, Cotonou.
Burkina Faso Mr. Dramane MILLOHO, Director in Charge of Foreign Trade, General
Directorate of Trade, Ministry for Trade, Enterprises and Handicrafts,
Ouagadougou.
Chad Ms Ehra Sara h GNADANG, Chief,  Multilateral Trade Relations Section, Foreign
Trade Division, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts, N'Djamena.
Côte d'Ivoire Mr. Mobio Marc LOBA, Chief, Importers Study and Accreditation Service,
Directorate of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Abidjan.
Djibouti Mr. Mohamed ELMI OBSIEH, Officer in  Charge of Relations with WTO,
Department of International Trade,  Ministry of Trade, Industry and
Handicrafts, Djibouti.
Gabon Ms Danielle Mauricette ISSEMBE, Director of Foreign Trade, Directorate of
Foreign Trade, General Directorate of Trade, Ministry of Trade, Tourism,Industrial Development and Handicrafts, Libreville.
Guinea Mr. Facinet  KEITA,  Chief, WTO Section, National Directorate of Trade and
Competition, Ministry of Trade, Industry and SMEs, Conakry.
Haiti Mr. Pierre-André DUNBAR, Assistant-Director, Directorate of Foreign Trade,
Ministry of Industry and Trade, Port-au-Prince.
Kazakhstan Ms Ajar ABDILDINA, Chief, Custom s Revenue Division, Analyses and
Forecasts Department, Ministry of State Revenue, Astana.
Lebanon Ms Souheir NADDE, Member of WTO Unit, WTO Unit, Ministry of Economy
and Trade, Beirut.
Madagascar Ms Joséphine  Aimée  Ralison  SAHONDRA,  Customs Inspector,  General
Customs Directorate, Ministry fo r Budget and the Development of
Autonomous  Provinces, Antananarivo.
Mali M. Sekou Amadou N'DOURE, Inspector of Economic Services in Charge of
Files, WTO/UNCTAD Task Force, Foreign Trade Division, National
Directorate of Trade and Competition, Ministry of Industry, Trade andTransport, Bamako.
Morocco Ms Saadia OUAISSA, Officer, Treasury and External Finances Directorate,
Balance-of-Payments Division, Relations  with International Institutions
Branch, Ministry of the Economy, Finance, Privatization and Tourism, Rabat.
Mauritius Mr. Jean Claude MONTOCCHIO, Maur itius Chamber of Commerce, c/o
Permanent Mission of Mauritius to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Mauritania Ms. Khadidiata  BA,  Chief,  Studies Service,  Directorate for the Promotion  of
Foreign Trade,  Ministry of Trade, Handicrafts and Tourism, Nouakchott.
Niger Mr. Issaka ABOUBACAR, Chief, Export Promotion Service, Directorate of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Niamey.
Central African
RepublicMr. Jean-Paul Bervy SERVICE TEZAWA, Chief, Disputes Branch, Directorate
of Competition and Repression of Economic Fraud, Ministry of Trade,
Industry and the Private Sector, Bangui.PRESS/221
Page 3
ENDDemocratic
Republic of the
CongoMr. Nzuka Simon MAPENGO, Inspector,  Implementation Division , Customs
and Excise Office (OFIDA), Kinshasa.
Rwanda Ms Mucyo Théophile NDOLI, Officer in Charge of International Trade
Relations, International Trade Relations Division, Directorate of Foreign
Trade, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Kigali.
Sao Tome andPrincipeMr. Adérito Oliveira Ramos BONFIM DOS RAMOS, Chemical Engineer/Public
Official, Technical Division, Directorate of Trade and Industry, Ministry ofthe Economy, Sao Tome.
Senegal Mr. Cheikh Saadbouh SECK, Deputy-Director of Foreign Trade, Directorate of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade, Dakar.
Tadjikistan Mr. Fourkat  LAFIZOV,  First Secretary, Department of International
Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dushanbe.
Thailand Ms Vandee SUCHATKULVIT, Attorney, Bureau of Multilateral Trade
Negotiations, Ministry of Commerce, Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, Bangkok.
Togo Mr. Akuetey  JOHNSON,  Officer in Charge of Missions and Studies, Ministry
of Trade, Industry, Transport and Free Zone Development, Lomé.
Tunisia Mr. Malek Moezz BOUZGARROU, Admini strator-Counsellor, Directorate of
Relations with WTO, Ministry of Trade, Tunis.