Nomination for WTO DG Closes July 8

Obinna Chima

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has disclosed that the nomination period for the position of its Director General closes on July 8, 2020.

The global trade body stated this in a statement yesterday, which announced Mexico’s nomination of Mr Jesús Seade Kuri for the position.

According to, “the timetable announced by the Chair of the General Council, WTO, David Walker, the nomination period will close on 8 July 2020.

“Shortly after the nomination period has closed, candidates will be invited to meet with members at a special General Council meeting, present their views and take questions from the membership.”

Kuri is to compete with other candidates for the position, as they aim to succeed the current Director-General, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, who has announced he will step down on 31 August 2020.

President Muhammadu Buhari last week approved the nomination of Nigeria’s former two-term Minister of Finance and former Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the position.

Nigeria also withdrew the candidacy of Yonov Frederick Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the same position.

The document had stated: “The embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and permanent mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) presents compliments to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa and has the honour to inform that the Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn the candidacy of Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah for election to the position of Director-General of the WTO.

“In this regard, the Mission also wishes to inform that his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to replace Ambassador Agah, as Nigeria’s candidacy for the position of the Director-General of the WTO, for the term 2021-2025 at the elections scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021.”