Faizel Ismail (Co-Chair) is permanent representative of South Africa to the World Trade Organization and chair, Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development, Geneva, Switzerland. A central player in making South Africa the trading power that it is today, he has served as South Africa´s chief director for export and investment promotion. As director of foreign trade relations in the Department of Trade and Industry, he also worked as a consultant for multilateral trade relations. He led the trade negotiations between the new government of South Africa and the European Union, which resulted in a Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement in January 2000. He has written numerous articles on trade and development, including "An Assessment of the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference, 2005." Mr. Faizel holds an M.A. in development studies from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom, and an L.L.B. from the University of Natal.