It was "a family decision" that motivated his departure from the World Trade Organization (WTO). "I am convinced that this decision serves the best interests of this organization," said Roberto Azevêdo on Thursday, May 14, to justify his departure. He was speaking to heads of delegation to the WTO during a videoconference.

"I have no political plans," he said while some attributed presidential ambitions in 2022 to outgoing Brazilian head of state Jair Bolsonaro.

"Essential pillar of global economic governance"

Roberto Azevêdo also assured that he believed he had "been able to help maintain the WTO as an essential pillar of global economic governance in a difficult period for multilateral cooperation".

The Brazilian's premature departure comes at a time when the world economy is recording its most severe brake since the Great Depression of the 1930s. International trade is hit hard by the pandemic of new coronavirus.

The WTO has been going through a deep crisis for months, with the court settling commercial disputes between its members no longer able to count on its appellate body, the bane of Washington. The appeal body of the dispute settlement body (DSB) of the WTO, whose appointment of judges is blocked by Washington, is indeed no longer operational since December 11, for lack of sufficient magistrates.

This resignation "comes at a very bad time for the institution," said Sébastien Jean, director of the Center for Prospective Studies and International Information (CEPII).

A fine negotiator

A career diplomat, Roberto Azevedo had taken the helm of the world trade policeman in 2013 by succeeding Frenchman Pascal Lamy. He started his second four-year term in September 2017. His term was expected to end in late August 2021.

Before being the boss of the WTO, he was since 2008 the permanent representative of Brazil to this organization where he had forged a reputation as a fine negotiator. He had thus been head of delegation in key disputes won by Brazil at the WTO: in the case of cotton subsidies against the United States and sugar export subsidies against the European Union.

During his first candidacy, he also stressed that his election would unblock trade negotiations which had been stalled for years.

But despite some successes, negotiations have stalled, countries failing even to find an agreement to ban subsidies that encourage overfishing. And the 12th ministerial, which was to be held in early June in Kazakhstan and on which the WTO had based all its hopes, had to be postponed to 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It remains to be seen who could take over the WTO. In Geneva, eyes are on Africa, according to several diplomatic sources.

With AFP

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