WTO members voice support for early start of Director-General selection process

Fifty-eight members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) took the floor at a meeting of the WTO General Council, held on 22nd July, to voice support for a proposal from the African Group calling for an early start to the Director-General selection process and asking the incumbent, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to make herself available to serve a second term, the WTO said in a press release on Monday. Members also considered proposals to set out a work programme for future negotiations on agriculture and to incorporate the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the WTO framework, WAM reports. 

Members discussed the request from the African Group of members regarding the appointment of the Director-General (WT/GC/W/948). The African Group requests that the current Director-General make herself available to serve a second term, and has proposed that the process of reappointing the Director-General should be started as soon as possible. The current term of DG Okonjo-Iweala finishes at the end of August 2025. She is eligible for a second four-year term.

Fifty-eight members, several speaking on behalf of groups of members, took the floor to comment and express their support for the African Group proposal. They called on DG Okonjo-Iweala to make her intentions known regarding a second term as soon as possible. Most of these members praised the DG's hard work and her achievements during her first term.

WTO DG Okonjo-Iweala said that she was very grateful for the show of support from members. “Everything that I've accomplished, we've accomplished together,” she said. The DG added that she took the call of members very seriously and was favourably inclined. She said she would get back to members very soon regarding her intentions.