Faizel Ismail

Faizel Ismail is currently the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO.

He has a Masters in Philosopy degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom. He also holds an LLB and a BA degree from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

He led the new democratic South Africa’s trade negotiations with the European Union, Southern African Development Community, Southern African Customs Union and several other bilateral trading partners including the US, India, and Mercusor since 1994.

He has led South Africa’s negotiations in the WTO since 2002 and has served as the Chair of the WTO negotiating group (CTDSS) for two years (2004-2006) and the Chair of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) regular body for one year (2006/7).

He is the author of two books on the WTO: Mainstreaming Development in the WTO. Developing Countries in the Doha Round (CUTS International, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2007) and Reforming the World Trade Organization. Developing Countries in the Doha Round (CUTS International, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2009). The latter book has been translated into Chinese and published by the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Centre and the Shanghai People’s Publishing House (2011). He has published numerous articles in international journals and books on economic development and trade and development issues.

He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of World Trade; an Advisor to the BRICS Trade and Economic Research Network based at the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Centre, Shanghai, China; Senior Research Associate, Centre for Rising Powers, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Senior Research Associate, Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester, United Kingdom; and a member of the Partnership Council of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Geneva, Switzerland.