Dangote endorses, campaigns for Okonjo-Iweala to lead WTO as Azevêdo steps aside
WTO: Dangote endorses, campaigns for Okonjo-Iweala, Azevedo bows out
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has favoured the election of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the election.
Roberto Azevêdo who had been the Director-General of the WTO for seven years stepped aside on Monday August 31st.
Dangote took to his Twitter handle @AlikoDangote and said: “In these challenging times
@WTO needs the renowned skills and tested experience of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala @NOIweala
to lead the organisation through identified obstacles and strengthen its position as the prime facilitator of international trade “A vote for her is a step in the right direction. I fully endorse the candidature of @NOIweala to lead @WTO
The procedures for appointing the WTO Director-General are described in document WT/L/509. The nomination period for the 2020 DG selection process ended on 8 July. The second phase of the process in which the candidates “make themselves known to members” will end on 7 September. On that date, the third phase will begin. The Chair of the General Council, together with the chairs of the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body, will start to consult with all WTO members to assess their preferences and seek to determine which candidate is best placed to attract consensus support. The third phase will last no more than two months
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According to the WTO Director-General selection timetable 2020, General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand informed members on 20 May 2020 the appointment process for the next Director-General would formally commence on 8 June with nominations accepted from that date until 8 July.
At the end of the nomination period, eight candidates had been nominated by their respective governments. From 15 to 17 July, all of the candidates met with WTO members at a special General Council meeting, at which they had the opportunity to present their views and take questions from the membership.
The second phase of the process in which the candidates “make themselves known to members” will end on 7 September. On that date, the third phase will begin. Ambassador Walker, together with the Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body (Dacio Castillo of Honduras) and the Chair of the Trade Policy Review Body (Harald Aspelund of Iceland), will start to consult with all WTO members to assess their preferences and seek to determine which candidate is best placed to attract consensus support.
Amb. Walker announced on 31 July that the first round of consultations will take place between 7 and 16 September. This will be followed by two more rounds, during which the field of candidates would be reduced from eight to five and down to two for the final round. Delegations will be asked to provide a maximum of four preferences in the first round and a maximum of two preferences in the second round.
At the end of each round of the Phase 3 consultations, Amb. Walker and the facilitators will report the outcomes to members at meetings of heads of delegations. The timetable for rounds two and three of the Phase 3 process would be similar to the timeframe for round one, Amb Walker said