RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/INF/3
27 March 2003
(03-1758)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 – 14 September 2003
 WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
INFORMATION MEETING HELD ON 17 MARCH 2003
I. INTRODUCTION
1. An Information Meeting for delegates on the logistical arrangements for the WTO 5th
Ministerial Conference to be held in Cancún was organized on 17 March 2003 at the Centre William
Rappard.   Mr. Jacques E. Chabert, Chairman of the WTO Task Force for logistical arrangements
opened the meeting and welcomed the representatives from the Mexican Organizing Committee(MOC)  and the Permanent Mission of Mexico in Geneva as well as the participants.
2. Ambassador Eduardo Pérez Motta, from the Permanent Mission of Mexico in Geneva
introduced Ms. Mónica Ruiz, General Coordinator of the MOC.  Ms. Ruiz introduced her colleagues:
Admiral José Luis Figueroa, Security
Ambassador Gonzalo Aguirre, Protocol and Dignataries
Mr. Mario Vallejo, Administration and Finance
Mr. Gonzalo Gómez, Operations
Mr. Marco Victoria, IT and Telecommunications
Ms. Maria del Carmen Palafox, Accommodation and Services
Mr. Salvador Musalem, Press and MediaMs. Belén Carrasco, Assistant Coordinator
Ms. Dolores Mejia, Assistant Coordinator
3. The Mexican Organizing Committee gave a presentation of the facilities in Cancún.  It
covered the following subjects:  Cancún area, Cancún Convention Centre, accreditation procedures,accommodation, visas, security, transport, telecommunications, etc.  Delegations were informed that
an Information File containing details of all these items will to be distributed to all delegations by the
WTO Secretariat before the end of March 2003.
4. In order to facilitate contacts for arrangements between the delegations and the MOC, each
delegation was requested to nominate a “Delegation Coordinator”.  This person should preferably be
someone who will be going to Cancún.  The “Delegation Coordinator Form” should be completed and
returned to the WTO by 15 April 2003 (this form is included in document WT/MIN(03)/INF/4).
II.      CANCUN CONVENTION CENTRE
5. The 5th WTO Ministerial Conference will be held at the Convention Centre which is located
on Boulevard Kukulcán Km 9,  Cancún.  Office space will be made available for the LDCs on the first
floor.  There is a large number of rooms of various sizes which will allow bilateral and regional
meetings to be easily arranged.  The Convention Centre will have numerous facilities includingmoney exchange, travel agency, medical centre, telecommunication services, car rental, restaurants,
cyber café and delegates PC area.WT/MIN(03)/INF/3
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III.     ACCREDITATION
6. Delegations will register for the WTO 5th Ministerial Conference on-line through the internet.
In order to access the registration section available on the website, Delegation Coordinators will
receive a users ID and password from the MOC through the WTO (see document
WT/MIN(03)/INF/4).  Delegations will be able to register (in English, French or Spanish) from
capitals, missions or from an office at the WTO which will be set up with PCs, internet connections,digital camera and a scanner for this purpose.  Staff members from the Language Services and
Documentation Division will be available to assist delegations in this process.
7. A list of participants ranked in order of hierarchy from each delegation will need to be
submitted to the WTO Conference Office at a later stage.
IV.     ACCOMMODATION
8. The MOC has blocked off rooms in hotels from 9 to 15 September 2003.  All participants
accredited to the Conference should book their rooms directly with the hotel of their choice.  There isno restriction on the number of nights that have to be reserved.  Reservations may be made from
1 April 2003 to 30 June 2003. An “authorization code” will be given to delegations by the MOC,
through the WTO as from 1 April 2003, to facilitate the booking of their rooms.    The confirmation of
the booking(s) will be communicated to the “Delegation Coordinator” together with deposit and
payment instructions as necessary. Details of the recommended and official hotels as well as generalinformation on hotels will be found in the Information File as well as on the MOC website:
www.omcmexico.org.mx .   This information will be available on this site from 1 April 2003.  The
Delegation Coordinator has to inform the WTO of the name of the Hotel that was chosen and the
number of rooms blocked.
9. Special rates have been negotiated in the hotel s selected; prices are in accordance with the
category of hotel.   The rates include service taxes but not tips.  Delegations requiring junior or
presidential suites should negotiate a price directly with the hotel.  Cancellation fees may be charged
for “no show” according to the normal practice in hotels.
10. Many of the hotels are only a few minutes’ walk from the Convention Centre.  It should be
noted that as from 30 June 2003 the hotels will unblock the rooms that have been reserved for theConference and the special rates that were negotiated by the MOC may change; it is therefore
recommended that delegations make their bookings as soon as they can.
11. Delegations requiring meeting room space in the hotels or other special facilities should
contact the hotels directly.
V.        TRANSPORT
12. Cancún International Airport is serviced by 8 major airline companies (3 with international
flights and 5 national flights) and has all the facilities for dealing with diplomatic arrivals.  TheDelegation Coordinator for each delegation should inform the MOC of flight details of their
delegation as well as details of the accompanying person(s) on the same flight.
13. Each Head of Delegation will be provided with a chauffeur-driven car during the dates of the
WTO Ministerial Conference and only for official purposes, including the necessary period of arrival
and departure defined previously with the MOC
.
14. The Head of Delegation may be met at the airport by a maximum of three persons.
15. Participants in the Conference will have a shuttle service at their disposal covering the
airport/hotel zones/Convention Centre and the NGO Centre.WT/MIN(03)/INF/3
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VI.       SECURITY
16. The MOC will ensure the security of participants in the Convention Centre, Press Centre,
NGO Centre, hotel areas and the airport both on arrival and departure.
17. The temporary importation of firearms is permitted (revolvers or pistols) but no automatic
guns. These arms should not be visible or displayed at any time. They must be declared by completing
the form in the Information File.
18. A highly efficient medical service will be made available for the duration of the conference.
19. Identity badges for the Conference will be handed over to delegations in Cancún; exact details
of the procedure will be communicated at a later stage.
VII      VISA REQUIREMENTS
20. All participants will need a valid passport to enter Mexico.  A list of countries requiring visas
to enter Mexico is contained in the Information File together with as a list of Embassies/Consulates ofMexico in the different countries.  For Geneva-based delegations a visa section in the Permanent
Mission of Mexico at Geneva will operate nearer the time of the Conference.  Once this service is in
place, delegates will be informed.  Queries can also be addressed by e-mail to:
gaguirre@omcmexico.org.mx .
VIII.    TELECOMMUNICATIONS
21. TDMA and GSM (1900 mhz bands) mobile phones will function in Mexico. Special
“roaming” tariffs have been negotiated for the duration of the Conference.  Telephone equipment will
also be available for rental in Cancún and pre-paid phone cards may be purchased.  A cyber café willbe available with printers, fax, telephones as well as sockets where laptops can be connected.
Delegations wishing to have special telecommunication services may do so through a rental
agreement with suppliers.  Importation of radio equipment must be declared.
IX.    LIAISON OFFICERS
22. Liaison Officers will be provided to delegations to assist them throughout their stay in
Cancún.  He/she will ensure coordination between the host country and the delegations to which they
are assigned by the host Government.  They will also help delegations with local services, etc. and
will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
X. OTHER
XI. An accompanying persons programme will be drawn up.
XII. A second information meeting is foreseen in July.
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