ISSUE 3/2006

Women entrepreneurs benefit from targeted assistance to expand their businesses internationally through this award-winning programme.

A Côte d'Ivoire food company's contracts with aid agencies has provided jobs and income for local communities. ITC's buyer-seller meetings for the aid sector played a part.

The business community needs to show the power of partnership in making the Doha promise a reality. Businesses of developing countries have an interest in staying engaged and making their views known to government negotiators - and to the public at large.

Mozambique has been losing its forests to poor people who scrape a living from this valuable natural resource. Today, some are producing chic wooden bracelets for the world market while conserving precious woodlands.

© International Trade Centre, International Trade Forum - Issue 3/2006 ISO 9001:2000 - A workbook for service organizations 116 pages . Joint ITC/International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publication, presenting a set of questions, checklists and planning guides for streamlining the inte

ISO 9001:2000 - A workbook for service organizations116 pages. Joint ITC/International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publication, presenting a set of questions, checklists and planning guides for streamlining the internal process of conformities to ISO 9001:2000 standard by professional ser-vice organizations in developing countries. Provides an overview of ISO 9001:2000 as an international quality management framework and focuses on internal decisions, discussions and planning needed in applying the ISO 9001:2000 concept and for creating the necessary quality management system in a small service organization. Appendices include a list of information sources on ISO quality management systems, tips for working with external consultants, a sample internal audit checklist for a "vertical" audit and sample questions to help staff prepare for an on-site external audit.To order online, visit ITC's e-shop at http://www.intracen.org/eshop

Aicha A. Pouye, a Senegalese national, joined ITC as the Director of the Division of Trade Support Services in September 2006.

Romanians are taking major steps to upgrade exports, with help from ITC.Faced with the challenges of its entry into the European Union (EU), Romania is keen to improve its export competitiveness in four sectors of strategic importance for the country's economy: textiles and garments; wooden furniture; information and communications technology (ICT); and organic agriculture.

WTO members suspended the Doha round of trade talks in July 2006. Trade Forum reviewed 50 media sources for their reactions.Most opinion-makers were seriously concerned about the future of world trade. There were also those who welcomed the breakdown in negotiations. Many voices called for restarting the talks, but few provided concrete solutions on how to do so.

© International Trade Centre, International Trade Forum - Issue 3/2006 Discover why ITC's Executive Director, Patricia Francis, believes that more input from business community is crucial for making the Doha development promise a reality. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of OECD, explains the benefits of a su

The glossy world of fashion is far removed from blue helmets, food aid or peace treaties - but it is also part of the United Nations' work to ensure the world's people have better, safer lives.