The World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold a special meeting of its General Council on November 28-29, 2024, to advance the process for selecting its next Director-General.
The announcement was made by the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The meeting follows a communication from Ambassador Ølberg on November 9, which revealed that no candidates had emerged for the position of Director-General by the November 8 nomination deadline, other than the incumbent, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In his statement, Ambassador Ølberg said: “Based on my contacts with delegations over the past days, and as has been done in past instances where the incumbent Director-General was the only candidate, I intend to convene a special formal meeting of the General Council on 28 and 29 November.”
The first day of the meeting will feature a presentation from Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, during which she will outline her vision for the WTO, followed by a question-and-answer session with the members.
On the second day, members will have the opportunity to decide on the appointment of the next Director-General.
The WTO officially began the selection process for its next Director-General on October 8, 2024, with a deadline for nominations set for November 8.
Okonjo-Iweala remains the only candidate to have expressed interest in the role, which she has held since February 15, 2021.
Okonjo-Iweala’s current term will end on August 31, 2025. She made history when she became the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. Throughout her tenure, she has focused on advancing stalled trade negotiations, including those on fisheries subsidies, and on efforts to revive the WTO’s Appellate Body.
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In addition to her role at the WTO, Okonjo-Iweala has an extensive background in international finance and development. She served as Nigeria’s finance minister in two separate terms (2003-2006, 2011-2015) and briefly as the country’s first female foreign minister in 2006.
Despite some criticism over her perceived lack of specific experience in trade negotiations, Okonjo-Iweala has earned widespread respect for her leadership at the WTO.
The General Council meeting will provide an opportunity for members to solidify the future leadership of the WTO, ensuring that the organization is prepared to meet the challenges of global trade in the coming years.
