China News Service, September 1 reported that on August 31, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization Azevedo officially resigned, ending the original term of office one year early.
In his statement, he emphasized that the multilateral trading system is a basic pillar of global peace and prosperity, and called on the WTO to continue reforms.
Azevedo stated on his social network account that serving as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization is a "great honor", and he emphasized that the multilateral trading system is a basic pillar of global peace and prosperity.
He also said that in all future work, he will continue to support the multilateral trading system.
Azevedo also called for the WTO reform process to continue so that the system can respond to the needs of the international community.
On May 14 this year, Azevedo unexpectedly announced that he would officially leave his post on August 31, ending his term a year earlier.
The WTO started the selection process for its successor on June 8.
Currently, the eight nominated candidates are from Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Moldova, South Korea, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, and three of them are female candidates.
The outside world believes that two African women officials who support WTO reform, Kenyan candidate Amina Mohamed and Nigerian candidate Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will become popular candidates.
Either one of them will become the first African Director General of the WTO and the first female Director General.