Race for WTO DG Kicks Off on 1 Dec, New Zealander Groser Throws in Hat

The upcoming months are also set to see the beginning of the race for electing a new head to the global trade body, with current Director-General Pascal Lamy’s term set to end on 31 August of next year.

While New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser has already made clear his interest in the post, many have speculated that the new trade chief could potentially come from a developing country, given that the relatively recent appointments of World Bank and International Monetary Fund heads stuck to tradition in choosing candidates from the US and EU, respectively.

In line with WTO procedures, the process for appointing a new Director-General must begin nine months ahead of the current head’s leaving office. The process will therefore officially begin on 1 December. Members will then have the month of December to nominate candidates and submit them to the General Council chair, who will conduct the process with the help of the Dispute Settlement Body and Trade Policy Review Body chairs acting as facilitators.

Candidates will then have three months to make themselves known to current members- i.e. until the end of March. A General Council meeting to conclude the process and announce the new trade chief must be held three months before Lamy concludes his term, in other words by 31 May. The race for the Director-General is expected to be watched closely by trade observers and policymakers alike, given that the next ministerial will be held under his or her stewardship.