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Director-General selection timetable 2024

On 8 October 2024, the WTO formally commenced the process for appointing its next Director-General. At the end of the nomination period (8 November), Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council, informed WTO members that no further nominations for the position of Director-General had been received and that the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is therefore the only candidate for the role. DG Okonjo-Iweala confirmed her willingness to serve a second four-year term in a letter to the Chair on 16 September.

Ambassador Ølberg convened a special meeting of the General Council on 28-29 November to advance the process for selecting the next Director-General. The first day of the General Council meeting allowed members to hear a presentation from DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her vision for the WTO, followed by a question-and-answer session. The second day provided an opportunity for members to take a decision on the appointment of the next Director-General.

On 29 November, the General Council agreed by consensus to reappoint Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General for a second four-year term, set to begin on 1 September 2025.

Director-General selection timetable 2020-21

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” ended on 7 September. From 7 to 16 September, the General Council chair, Ambassador David Walker of New Zealand, 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) consulted with all WTO members to assess their preferences and seek to determine which candidate is best placed to attract consensus support.

At a Heads of Delegation meeting on 18 September, Amb. Walker and his two co-facilitators in the selection process disclosed the five candidates who had secured the broadest and deepest support from the WTO membership in the first round of consultations and should consequently advance to the next stage of the process.

A second round of consultations took place from 24 September to 6 October. Amb. Walker and his co-facilitators disclosed on 8 October the outcome of these consultations and the two candidates advancing to the third and final round of consultations.

At a Heads of Delegation meeting on 28 October, Amb. Walker and his two co-facilitators announced that based on their consultations with all delegations the candidate best poised to attain consensus and become the 7th Director-General was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria. Amb. Walker stressed that a final decision had to be taken by the members at a General Council meeting, which was scheduled for 9 November.

On 6 November, Amb. Walker announced that the meeting would be postponed until further notice, during which time he would continue undertaking consultations with delegations.

At a meeting on 15 February 2021, the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization's seventh Director-General.

Candidates for DG selection process 2020

 

Director-General selection timetable 2016?7

The appointment is made by a consensus decision of the General Council, which consists of all WTO members. The Chair of the General Council informed WTO members on 3 November that Mr Azevêdo had provided a letter expressing his wish to seek reappointment for a further term, and that if members wished to nominate other candidates they would have until 31 December 2016 to do so. The process is explained in a note which the General Council Chair circulated to all WTO members. The General Council Chair’s note and Roberto Azevêdo’s letter are available here.

At the end of the nomination period, the General Council Chair, Ambassador Harald Neple of Norway, informed WTO members that no further nominations for the position of Director-General had been received by the deadline of 31 December 2016 and that the incumbent Director-General, Roberto Azevêdo, was therefore the only candidate for the role.

At a meeting of the General Council on 28 February, WTO members agreed by consensus to appoint Roberto Azevêdo as Director-General for a second four-year term,  starting on 1 September 2017.

 

Director-General selection timetable 2012–13

The appointment is made by a consensus decision of the General Council, which consists of all WTO members. A detailed explanation for the 2012-13 selection process can be found in a 1 November 2012 Communication from the General Council Chair to members. Nine candidates were put forward by their governments during the nomination period which closed on 31 December. The candidates presented themselves to the WTO membership in the General Council, 29–31 January 2013. They also spoke to the press.

From 1 April the General Council chair (Amb. Shahid Bashir of Pakistan), assisted by chairs of the Dispute Settlement Body (Amb. Jonathan Fried of Canada) and the Trade Policy Review Body (Amb. Joakim Reiter of Sweden), consulted all members. Their task was to help members build a consensus, and move from the initial field of candidates to a final appointment no later than 31 May 2013. On 19 March, the General Council chairperson told ambassadors how the consultations would be organized.

On 12 April, the General Council chair reported the result of the first round of consultations, and announced a revised slate of five candidates.

On 26 April, he reported on the second round, with two candidates remaining: Mr Herminio Blanco of Mexico and Mr Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo of Brazil.

On 8 May, the three chairs recommended Mr Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo of Brazil to members as the consensus candidate. He was formally accepted as the next Director-General by the General Council on 14 May.

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Sources:
1 November 2012 Communication from the General Council Chair to members
Procedures for the appointment of Directors-General (WTO document code WT/L/509)

 

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Selection process in 2009   

At the end of the nomination period, Pascal Lamy was the only candidate. In April 2009, WTO members reappointed Mr Lamy as Director-General for a second four-year term, starting on 1 September 2009.

 

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News 2009 

• 30 April 2009: WTO members reappoint Lamy for a second term
  Audio: Statement by Mario Matus, Chair of the General Council (English interpretation — original in Spanish)
  Audio: Closing remarks by Pascal Lamy
  > Pascal Lamy’s presentation on 29 April 2009
  > Biography of Pascal Lamy

• 29 April 2009: Lamy: “Strengthening the WTO as the global trade body”
  > Statement by Pascal Lamy
  Audio: Statement by Pascal Lamy

• 7 January 2009: Communication from the Chairman of the General Council

• 4 November 2008: WTO Director-General Lamy to seek a second term

  

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Selection process in 2005   

• 26 May 2005: WTO Members choose Lamy as organization's 5th Director-General
• 26 May 2005: Statement from Pascal Lamy on his appointment as World Trade Organisation’s Director General
• 13 May 2005: General Council Chairman's remarks: Informal Meeting of Heads of Delegation
• 29 April 2005: General Council Chairman's remarks: Informal Meeting of Heads of Delegation
• 15 April 2005: General Council Chairman's remarks: Informal Meeting of Heads of Delegations
• 31 March 2005: General Council Chairman's remarks: Informal Meeting of Heads of Delegations
• 26 January 2005: Members meet DG candidates
• 4 January 2005: Four candidates nominated for the post of Director-General

  

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Nominated candidates in 2005   

Listed in the order in which their nominations were received:

Carlos Pérez del Castillo of Uruguay
> Biography
> Statement

 

 

Jaya Krishna Cuttaree of Mauritius
> Biography
> Statement

  

  

Luiz Felipe de Seixas Corrêa of Brazil
> Biography
> Statement

  

  

Pascal Lamy of France
> Biography
> Statement