WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo to step down on August 31, one-year before the completion of his 8-year term

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WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo to step down on August 31, one-year before the completion of his 8-year term

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1. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Roberto Azevedo resigned unexpectedly, amidst the coronavirus pandemic that has affected the world economy, and trade at an unprecedented level.
2. The 62-year-old Brazilian career diplomat's second four-year term was not scheduled to end until September 2021.
3. Azevedo said that bringing forward his departure would allow members to select his successor in the coming months, without diverting political energy and attention from preparations for the Twelfth Ministerial Conference, which is set to be held in 2021.
4. Moreover, he said that WTO should start the year 2021 with a focus on the real challenges: ensuring that the multilateral trading system responds to new economic realities, above all the post-Covid recovery.
5. The 25-year-old trade body has never had to fill a vacancy for the director-general post before that term expired, and under WTO rules, a selection process for a successor is to begin as soon as possible.
6. Mr. Azevedo’s WTO often found itself in the firing line of the Trump administration, which accused the trade body of a bias against the United States and of letting China get away with what it called unfair trade practices.
7. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer thanked Mr. Azevedo for his exemplary service.
8. Despite the many shortcomings of the WTO, Roberto has led the institution with grace and a steady hand, Lighthizer said in a statement. He will be difficult to replace.

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