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By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Former Nigerian finance minister
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korean trade minister Yoo
Myung-hee are the final candidates to head the World Trade
Organization, ensuring the watchdog will have the first female
leader in its 25-year history.
The WTO said on Thursday the two women were the remaining
candidates for director-general after the field was cut from
five to two, confirming what Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The winner will replace Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, who
stepped down a year earlier than expected at the end of August.
The WTO, under fire by the U.S. President Donald Trump's
administration which froze its appeals body by blocking its
appointment of judges, aims to find a successor for Azevedo by
early November. It is also trying to navigate worsening
U.S.-China trade relations.
"Both of the women that are in the final round are
remarkably well-qualified. This is something on which everyone
has agreed," WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told reporters, making
the announcement at its Geneva headquarters.
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, a former Nigerian finance and foreign
minister, is an economist and development specialist now serving
as board chair of global vaccine alliance Gavi. She has said the
WTO should play a role in helping poorer countries access
COVID-19 drugs and vaccines. Yoo, 53, South Korea's trade minister, is pitching herself
as a seasoned operator on trade in increasingly protectionist
times after clinching deals with the United States, China and
others, while supporting global trading rules. Kenyan sports minister Amina Mohamed, Saudi royal court
adviser Mohammad Al-Tuwaijri and British ex-international trade
minister Liam Fox dropped out of the race after failing to
garner sufficient backing from the WTO's 164 members.
The WTO will hold a third and final selection round on Oct.
19-27, with a view to having a director-general in place by
early November, when the U.S. presidential election also takes
place. "I don't think the domestic political situation of any
country has really entered into this at all, as far as I can
tell," Rockwell said when asked if the U.S. vote had had an
impact.
The winning candidate will face formidable challenges with
rising global tensions and protectionism during a COVID-induced
slowdown, as well as pressure to drive reforms.
WTO negotiations on cutting subsidies on fishing are due to
conclude in December, Rockwell said, adding: "It's clear that
whichever woman assumes this job will have a very full plate
from day one."
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EXPAINER-How the next WTO chief will be chosen and the task
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