MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/237
13 July 2001
(01-3502)
THE 17TH WTO TRADE POLICY COURSE COMES TO A CLOSE FOR
TWENTY-SEVEN OFFICIALS
Mr. Paul-Henri Ravier, the Deputy Director-General of the WTO, presided over the closing
ceremony of the 17th WTO Trade Policy Course on Friday 13 July.  For twenty-seven national
officials, largely from least-developed countries, this marked the end of a twelve-week course during
which they were able to gain inside knowledge of the multilateral trading system and its rules andoperation.
In his closing address, Mr. Ravier noted that "the WTO is much more something which has to
be experienced than something which can be explained", a reference to the importance of acquiring a
practical knowledge of the workings of the organization.  He stressed the unique experience, onseveral counts, represented by such training at a time when WTO Members were making preparations
in Geneva for the forthcoming Ministerial Conference , scheduled to take place in November in Doha,
Qatar.
On behalf of the participants, Mr. Alain Luvambano from Angola thanked the WTO
Secretariat and Members for the contribution that WTO training activities were making to capacity-
building in the participating countries.  Hailing the work of the WTO Secretariat, he welcomed the
course's success in promoting both professional and cultural exchanges and the fact that it reinforced
the concept of a "planetary village".  Confident that participants would put the knowledge they had
gained from this training into practice on behalf of their respective countries, Mr. Luvambano recalledthe saying that "in a changing world, there is no thing more risky than standing still".  In this
connection, he described the training as a "kick-start" which would enable developing countries to
play a more active role in the multilateral trading system.
The 17th Trade Policy Course, which was held in French, took place from 23 April to 13 July
at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.  The next such training course will begin in September.PRESS/237
Page 2
MORELIST OF PARTICIPANTS ON THE 17TH WTO TRADE POLICY COURSE
Albania Ms. 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 Dagbé 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 of Trade, Enterprises and Handicrafts,
Ouagadougou.
Chad Ms. Ehra Sarah 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, Abidjan.
Djibouti Mr. Mohamed ELMI OBSIEH, Officer in Charge of Relations with the 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 and Industry
in Charge of Investment and Regional Integration, 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 Trade and Industry, Port-au-Prince.
Kazakhstan Ms. Azhar ABDILDINA, Chief, Customs Revenue Division, Analyses and
Forecasts Department, Ministry of State Revenue, Astana.
Lebanon Ms. Souheir NADDE, Ministry of Economy and Trade, Beirut.
Madagascar Ms. Joséphine Aimée Ralison SAHONDRA, Customs Inspector, General
Customs Directorate, Ministry for the Budget and Development of
Autonomous Provinces, Antananarivo.
Mali Mr. Sékou Amadou N'DOURE, Inspector of Economic Services in Charge of
WTO Files, WTO/UNCTAD Task Force, Foreign Trade Division, NationalDirectorate of Trade and Competition, Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Transport, 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, Mauritius 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. Aboubacar ISSAKA, Chief, Expo rt Promotion Service, Directorate of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Niamey.PRESS/237
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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.
Democratic
Republic of the
CongoMr. Mapengo Simon NZUKA, Inspector, Di sputes 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 ForeignTrade, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Kigali.
Sao Tome and
PrincipeMr. Adérito de Oliveira BONFIM DOS RAMOS BORGES, Chemical
Engineer/Public Official, Technical Division, Directorate of Trade and
Industry, Ministry of the 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, Department of Business Economics,
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, Ad ministrator-Counsellor, Directorate of
Relations with the WTO, Ministry of Trade, Tunis.
END