UPDATE 2-Candidates for WTO chief urge hasty vetting of next leader amid 'deep crisis'

(Adds context high up, quote from Egypt's candidate)
By Emma Farge
GENEVA, July 15 (Reuters) - Candidates to lead the World
Trade Organization urged members to reach a decision quickly on
Wednesday and address what one described as a "deep crisis" as
it began the vetting process.
Nominations from eight countries have been submitted,
including three women, three African candidates and a former
Saudi air force pilot, to replace Brazil's Roberto Azevedo, who
will step down a year early at the end of August.
His successor faces an unprecedented set of challenges such
as intensifying global trade tensions, rising protectionism as
well as a coronavirus-induced dive in global trade.
"This needs to be done as quick as possible," said Jesus
Seade, a senior trade official in Mexico, describing the trade
watchdog as being in "deep crisis".
Seade also rebuffed a suggestion that a final decision on
the next chief should be delayed until after the U.S.
presidential election in November.
Under U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington has urged
reform of the WTO and blocked appointments to its top court. But
Seade said he thought criticism of the Geneva-based organisation
was shared across the political spectrum in Washington.
Nigeria's candidate, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also said she
hoped members would make a quick decision, saying the world was
at an "uncertain juncture" due to the pandemic.
She also urged Trump or his successor not to leave the WTO
and to work with the body on reform. Egypt's candidate, Hamid Mamdouh, said the top challenge the
body was facing was a "fading sense of common purpose" and vowed
to "immediately revive the negotiating function of the
organisation". He also urged Beijing and Washington to seek to
resolve their trade disputes within the multilateral body.
This phase of the race kicks off up to two months of
campaigning followed by a final decision by consensus. For a
full list of candidates, see here: