In the third round of consultations to complete the process of appointing the next Director-General of the WTO which took place from 19 to 27 October, the United States refused to support the candidacy of Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria).
Instead, the country confirmed its support for the South Korean candidate, Yoo Myung-Hee, who had made it to the third round of consultations. It officially pointed out the Nigerian candidate’s lack of experience in international trade.
A former finance minister of Nigeria and former managing director of the World Bank, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala enjoys international prestige. The Chairman of the organisation’s General Council, David Walker (New Zealand), said that she had received “broad support from Members at all levels of development and from all geographical regions throughout the process”. He then recommended her appointment by the General Council as the next Director-General of the WTO.
On Friday 30 October, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated, on behalf of the EU, his support for Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in a video conference with the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The procedure is for the WTO General Council to take a decision by consensus on this designation. A meeting of this body is scheduled for 9 November for a formal decision. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)