China News Service, October 27th. According to "Central News Agency", the competition for the post of Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has entered the final stage. The third round of consultations will end on the 27th local time. The winner of the two female candidates may be announced this week.
In July 2020, a total of 8 candidates were formally nominated and run for the WTO Director-General. After the first two rounds of consultations, only two candidates were left to compete, namely Ngozi Okonjo-I, former Minister of Finance of Nigeria. Wei Ala, and Yu Myung Hee, head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea.
Since the two who entered the final competition are all women, no matter who is elected, the WTO will give birth to the first female director-general since its establishment.
According to reports, the third round of consultations will end on October 27, when all member states will inform the chairman of the World Trade Council of the candidates.
Therefore, it is not excluded to know this week, which of the two will get the most support.
If the member states reach a consensus on the candidates, the WTO will then convene a formal general council to make recommendations to the members and formally appoint him as the new director-general of the WTO.
However, the final juncture in the selection of the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization coincides with the US presidential election on November 3. It remains to be seen whether the results of the US presidential election will affect the election of the new Director-General as scheduled.
The sixth WTO Director-General Azevedo resigned on August 31, ending his term a year earlier.
The selection process for the new director-general started on June 8.
According to the plan, a three-person team consisting of Walker, Chairman of the General Council, Dasio Castillo, Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, and Harald Asperond, Chairman of the Trade Policy Review Body, will start on September 7 with Representatives of all WTO members met separately and started three rounds of consultations, gradually narrowing the scope of candidates, and finally determining the director general through the principle of consensus.