[DEBATE] : South African Unterhalter appointed member of WTO appellate body

[Riaz K Tayob]

Press/451
28 September 2006
Appellate Body

Mr David Unterhalter sworn-in as new Appellate Body Member

Mr. David Unterhalter (South Africa) was sworn inon 28 September 2006 as 
Member of the Appellate Body at a ceremony at the WTO.
Mr. David Unterhalter (South Africa) was sworn in today as Member of the 
Appellate Body at a ceremony at the WTO. Mr. A.V. Ganesan (India), the 
Chairman of the Appellate Body, administered the declaration undertaken 
by Mr. Unterhalter.78 reports

Director-General Pascal Lamy congratulated Mr. Unterhalter and noted the 
Appellate Body's role in preserving the rights and obligations of WTO 
Members and in contributing to the development of the international rule 
of law. The Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, Ambassador Muhamad 
Noor of Malaysia, added his congratulations and best wishes, on behalf 
of all WTO Members.

The other Members of the Appellate Body are: Mr. Georges Abi-Saab 
(Egypt), Mr. Luiz Olavo Baptista (Brazil), Ms. Merit Janow (United 
States) Mr. Giorgio Sacerdoti (Italy), and Mr. Yasuhei Taniguchi 
(Japan). Persons serving on the Appellate Body are appointed by the 
Member States of the WTO.

The Appellate Body was established in 1995 to hear appeals from dispute 
panel reports on issues of law covered in the panel report and legal 
interpretations developed by the panel. The Appellate Body can uphold, 
modify or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of the panel. 
Thirty days after it is issued, an Appellate Body report is adopted by 
the Dispute Settlement Body, and unconditionally accepted by the parties 
to the dispute, unless there is a consensus against its adoption. Since 
its establishment, the Appellate Body has issued 78 reports, all of 
which are available on the WTO website.

Biographical notes on all Appellate Body Members can be downloaded from 
the WTO website.