The World Trade Organization (WTO) is set to convey a special General Council meeting to advance the next Director-General’s selection process.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway on Tuesday, stating the meeting will be held on November 28-29, 2024.
The meeting follows the Chair’s announcement on November 9 that no candidates for the position of Director-General had emerged by the 8th of November nomination deadline other than the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In his communication to members, Ølberg said that, based on his contacts with delegations over the past days, and as has been done in past instances where the incumbent Director-General was the only candidate, he intends to convene a special formal meeting of the General Council on 28 and 29 November.
The statement read, “The first day of the General Council meeting would allow members to hear a presentation from DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her vision for the WTO, followed by a question-and-answer session, the Chair said.
“The second day could then provide an opportunity for members to decide on the appointment of the next Director-General.”
It would be recalled that on October 8, the WTO formally commenced the process for appointing its next Director-General, with members given until November 8 to submit nominations.
DG Okonjo-Iweala’s current term comes to an end on 31 August 2025.
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