Candidates for the head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) urge a rapid election of the next leader in the midst of a "deep crisis."
Nominations have been submitted from eight countries, including three women, three African candidates and a former Saudi air force pilot, to replace Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, who is stepping down a year early at the end of August.
His successor faces an unprecedented set of challenges, including escalating global trade tensions, rising protectionism and a coronavirus-induced plunge in global trade.
"This must be done as quickly as possible," he said. Jesus Seade, a senior trade official in Mexico, describing trade as being in “deep crisis.”
Seade also rejected a suggestion that a final decision on the next chief should be delayed until after the US presidential election in November.
Under U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington has urged reform of the WTO and blocked appointments to its top court. But Seade said he thought criticism of the Geneva-based organization was shared across the political spectrum in Washington.
The candidate of Nigeria, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also said he hoped members would make a quick decision, noting that the world was at an "uncertain juncture" due to the pandemic.
He also urged Trump or his successor not to abandon the WTO and to work with the body on reform.
The candidate of Egypt, Hamid Mamdouh, said the main challenge facing the body was a “fading sense of common purpose” and vowed to “immediately revive the organisation’s negotiating function”. He also urged Beijing and Washington to seek to resolve their trade disputes within the multilateral body.
Source: Reuters
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