WTO General Council To Consider Appointment Of Next Chief On Feb.15 Following Many Delays

Faizan Hashmi Published February 09, 2021 | 10:53 PM

The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Tuesday that its General Council would consider the appointment of next Director-General on February 15 after the selection process had been stalled for months due to the US opposition

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th February, 2021) The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Tuesday that its General Council would consider the appointment of next Director-General on February 15 after the selection process had been stalled for months due to the US opposition.

"The WTO's General Council will hold a special meeting on 15 February at 15:00 Geneva time [14:00 GMT] to consider the appointment of the next Director-General. The meeting will take place in virtual format," the organization said in a statement.

South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, one of the two remaining candidates for post of head of the WTO, said on Friday that she has decided to quit the race.

Her decision was made following consultations with major countries, including the United States, and paved the way for the candidacy of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, to lead the trade body.

The long-term process of decision-making on the next WTO leader has been hampered by former US President Donald Trump administration, which supported the South Korean minister's candidacy, while many other WTO members have already spoken in favor of the candidate from Nigeria.

Even taking into account the withdrawal of Myung-hee, Okonjo-Iweala still need to receive the consent of Washington to become the WTO leader.