General Council Chair to convene meeting on selection of next Director-General
12 November 2024
The General Council Chair, Ambassador Didier Chambovey (Switzerland), will convene a meeting of the General Council on 14 November 2024 to discuss the process for selecting the next Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The current Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will step down on 31 March 2025.
The selection process will be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined in the WTO’s “Rules of Procedure for the Appointment of the Director-General”. These rules state that the General Council shall establish a Search Committee to identify and recommend candidates for the position. The Search Committee shall be composed of the General Council Chair and four other members appointed by the General Council.
The Search Committee will invite nominations from WTO members and other interested parties. The Committee will then review the nominations and interview the candidates. The Committee will then submit a report to the General Council, recommending a single candidate for the position of Director-General.
The General Council will then consider the Search Committee’s report and make a decision on the appointment of the next Director-General. The decision will be taken by consensus, if possible. If a consensus cannot be reached, the decision will be taken by a majority vote of the General Council.
The new Director-General will take office on 1 April 2025.
Background
The WTO is a member-driven organization that sets and enforces the rules for international trade. The WTO has 164 members, accounting for over 98% of world trade. The Director-General is the chief administrative officer of the WTO. The Director-General is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the WTO and for implementing the decisions of the WTO’s member governments.
The current Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is the first woman and the first African to hold the position. Dr Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Director-General in March 2021.
The selection of the next Director-General is a critical moment for the WTO. The WTO is facing a number of challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the rising tide of protectionism. The next Director-General will need to be a skilled diplomat and negotiator who can build consensus among the WTO’s members. The next Director-General will also need to be a strong advocate for the multilateral trading system.
General Council Chair to convene meeting on selection of next Director-General
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