The Hindu : Business : Four in race for WTO top slot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005

Business

Business

Four in race for WTO top slot

By Alok Mukherjee

NEW DELHI, JAN. 11. With the World Trade Organisation (WTO) facing a virtual deadlock over contentious issues such as ending agricultural subsidies and opening up the markets of the developing countries, France, Uruguay, Brazil and Mauritius have opted to be in the race for the next Director-General of the organisation. The incumbent Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi's term ends on August 31.

The nominations for the next Director-General closed on December 31, 2004 and four candidates are now in the fray. Pascal Lamy of France, who has been the Trade Commissioner with the European Commission, Carlos Perez del Castillo of Uruguay, Luiz Felipe de Seixas Correa of Brazil and Jaya Krishna Cuttaree of Mauritius have been nominated by their respective countries for the Director-General's post.

The four candidates would be presented before the General Council of the WTO on January 26 where the member countries would get to know the background of the nominated candidates. The selection process would have to be completed by May 31.

The WTO evolved detailed guidelines and a timetable for the selection of the Director-General after a deadlock five years ago forced the organisation to go in for a one-time compromise. Five years ago, members could not decide between Mike Moore of Australia and Mr. Panitchpakdi of Thailand till the last minute. Therefore, as a compromise, a one-time sharing of the Director-General's post was approved with Mr. Moore serving the first two and half years, followed by a similar term for Mr. Panitchpakdi.

Incidentally, both the Director-Generals failed to bring about a successful conclusion of Ministerial meetings — at Seattle and then at Cancun — where the developing countries put up strong resistance to the U.S. and the EU. The Cancun meeting in September 2003 actually saw the emergence of a group of developing countries, which successfully snatched a number of concessions from the U.S. and the EU. In between, there was the Doha round where developing countries, particularly India, forced issues of concern to the developing countries on to the Ministerial agenda.

As per WTO rules, nominations for the next Director-General's post opened on December 1 last year and closed on December 31. Now, between January 1 and March 31, 2005, the nominated candidates are to make themselves available for discussions with member countries on pertinent issues facing the WTO after which the member countries will have two months to select the new WTO chief. The four-month period will also see hectic diplomatic activity on the part of nominating countries, which would try and secure maximum support for their respective candidates.

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