Search for WTO director-general enters crucial stage

The race for the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) top job has entered a crucial phase as consultations begin to shortlist applicants who best qualify for the position.

A time table on the selection process shows that WTO General Council chairman Shahid Bashir will Tuesday commence consultations aimed at helping members build consensus and gradually trim the number of applicants for the position of director-general until a final candidate is appointed not later than May 31.

An informal meeting between Mr Bashir and heads of delegations from the competing countries on March 13 agreed that the selection be conducted in three rounds with only two candidates making it to the final round.

Four candidates would be expected to withdraw in the first round of talks and another three in the second round.

“The outcome of the consultations shall be reported to the membership at each stage. Accordingly, the outcome of this first round of consultations will be reported to all members at an open-ended meeting of heads of delegation to be held as soon as possible following the conclusion of the first round of consultations,” Mr Bashir said.

He will be assisted by chairpersons of the Dispute Settlement Body, Jonathan Fried and the Trade Policy Review Body Joakim Reiter.

Ms Amina Mohamed of Kenya and Ghana’s Trade minister Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen are the only candidates from Africa hoping to succeed Pascal Lamy as director-general of the WTO when he retires in August after completing two four-year terms at the helm of the global trade body.

(Read: Why Africa ought to back Amina for top WTO job)

Others eyeing Mr Lamy’s position include Mexico’s Herminio Blanco, Costa Rica’s Anabel González, South Korea’s Taeho Bark, New Zealand’s Tim Groser, and Ahmad Hindawi of Jordan. Mr Mari Pangestu of Indonesia and Brazilian Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo have also been nominated for the WTO job.

The first round of talks will be concluded by April 9, leaving only five candidates in the race to succeed Mr Lamy.

“In respecting the dignity of the candidates and the members nominating them, members who nominated candidates will be informed of the outcome immediately after each round and before the rest of the membership.

“This process will be repeated after each round of consultations, so as to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and full participation in every step of the process,” Mr Bashir said.

Kenya’s nominee, a law graduate from the University of Kiev, has served as a civil servant for 26 years. She joined the public service as a legal adviser in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and rose through the ranks to the position of PS in the Justice ministry in 2008.

She left three years later to join the United Nations Environment Programme as deputy director and UN assistant secretary-general.

Africa like other emerging market countries is seeking to have one of their own in charge of the Geneva-based trade club, after the top jobs at the IMF and the World Bank went to a European and an American.