Support for DG’s Second Term

The chair of the World Trade Organization’s General Council said that his consultations with members “so far shows overwhelming support to commence the appointment process” of the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Some members, however, seemingly remained skeptical, as advancing the selection process is inconsistent with WTO rules, particularly with the guidelines laid out for DG’s selection in WT/L/509, said people familiar with the developments.

In the document (Job/GC/407) issued yesterday, the GC chair , Ambassador Petter Olberg of Norway, said he “held productive and fruitful consultations this week.”

The chair noted that “Members welcomed the Director-General's letter declaring her availability for another term and the feedback received so far shows overwhelming support to commence the appointment process as soon as possible.”

According to the chair, “the exchange with Members is not concluded,” adding that “ I have decided to provide more time for consultations.”

Some members want rules to be respected in the selection process of the incumbent DG, which is required to be started nine months before she completes her tenure on August, 31, 2025, said people familiar with the developments.

Earlier, a major industrialized country appears to have opposed a decision on advancing the selection process in the July GC meeting, said a person who asked not to be quoted.

That country has not changed its position, the person said.

Even some major developing countries want rules laid out in WT/L/509, particularly paragraph seven that says: The “appointment process shall start nine months prior to the expiry of the term of an incumbent Director-General with a notification from the Chair to the General Council.

The process shall conclude with a meeting of the General Council convened not later than three months prior to the expiry of an incumbent's term, at which a decision to appoint a new Director-General shall be taken.”

The incumbent DG, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, was put up as a candidate by Nigeria in 2020 after the former DG Mr Roberto Azevedo of Brazil cut short his second term to join PepsiCo Incorporated.

According to paragraph 8 of WT/L/509, “Members shall have one month after the start of the appointment process to nominate candidates. Nominations shall be submitted by Members only, and in respect of their own nationals. The candidates nominated shall then have three months to make themselves known to Members and to engage in discussions on the pertinent issues facing the Organization. The remaining two months prior to the conclusion of this process shall be devoted to selecting and appointing one of the candidates.”

As reported earlier, several trade envoys said that the process is being advanced to thwart any possibility of former US President Trump blocking her selection, if he is elected again in November.