Trade monitoring
WTO Secretariat
The WTO Secretariat, with offices in Geneva, has 646 staff on the regular budget and is headed by Director-General Pascal Lamy. The secretariat has no decision-making powers as all decisions in the WTO are taken by members.
Fonds pour l’application des normes et le développement du commerce
Le Fonds pour l’application des normes et le développement du commerce (STDF) – instrument de l’Aide pour le commerce qui aide les pays en développement à respecter les normes sanitaires et phytosanitaires (SPS) – a continué à accroître la sensibilisation, à mobiliser des ressources, à renforcer la collaboration et à identifier et diffuser les bonnes pratiques pour rendre plus efficace la coopération technique dans le domaine SPS. Il s’est aussi attaché à apporter un soutien et un financement en vue de l’élaboration et de la mise en oeuvre de projets qui favorisent le respect des prescriptions SPS internationales. En 2012, les contributions au STDF ont totalisé 4,7 millions de dollars EU.
Report by Côte d’Ivoire Guinea-Bissau and Togo
By ratifying the Final Act establishing the World Trade Organization in January 1995, Côte d’Ivoire became one of the WTO’s original Members. The country went on to submit its first trade policy review in that same year, since then it has undertaken various institutional, economic, financial and administrative reforms with a view to its progressive and positive integration into world trade. However, since 1999, it has experienced a cycle of socio-political instability, which has had the effect of slowing down its social and economic development.
Secretaría de la OMC
La Secretaría está dirigida por el Director General Roberto Azevêdo, que tomó posesión de su cargo por un período de cuatro años el 1º de septiembre de 2013. Tras un proceso de selección llevado a cabo a finales de 2016, los Miembros de la OMC acordaron designar al Sr. Azevêdo para un segundo mandato que comenzará en septiembre de 2017. El 1º de octubre de 2013 iniciaron sus mandatos los cuatro Directores Generales Adjuntos: Yonov Frederick Agah, de Nigeria; Karl Brauner, de Alemania; David Shark, de los Estados Unidos; y Yi Xiaozhun, de China (véase el gráfico 1). En 2016, el número de funcionarios de la OMC se redujo de 647 a 628 y para cubrir esas vacantes se ha puesto en marcha un proceso de contratación.
WTO activities
The Ministerial Conference of the WTO, composed of representatives of all the Members, is the highest decision-making body of the organization, and is required to meet at least once every two years. Ministerial Conferences review ongoing work, provide political guidance and direction to that work, and set the agenda for further work as necessary. The most recent Session of the Ministerial Conference was held in Hong Kong, China in December 2005.
Preface
The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) was first established on a trial basis by the GATT CONTRACTING PARTIES in April 1989. The Mechanism became a permanent feature of the World Trade Organization under the Marrakesh Agreement which established the WTO in January 1995.