WTO Director-General Office: Iweala, Four Others Know Fate Next-Week

Authorities of the World Trade Organisation will determine the fate of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria, Kenya’s Amina Mohamed, Britain’s Liam Fox, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, and South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee, on the race for director-general of the WTO.

Recall that Mexico’s Jesus Seade, Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, and Moldova’s Tudor Ulianovschi were dropped last month as the Geneva-based organisation said they didn’t secure enough support in a first of three rounds of voting.

The election to replace Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as the WTO director-general last month a year ahead of schedule, will be whittled down again, with just two remaining after a second elimination round.

There are no indications if the WTO members will ultimately agree on another leader from Europe. There is no requirement for a regional rotation of the WTO chief position.

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However, there have been calls for an African to take over the position, which has counted three director-generals from Europe, and one each from Oceania, Asia and South America since its creation in 1995.

The WTO aims to select a winner in November, but some have voiced fear that increasing politicisation of the WTO, which relies on consensus to reach decisions, could draw out the process.