On May 14, the WTO's current Director General, Roberto Azevedo, informed the organization's 164 members of his intention to step down for personal reasons one year before the end of his second term, on August 31, 2020. The news came as a bombshell, as on the one hand there had been no warning signs that the Brazilian would be stepping down, and on the other, the institution, already weakened by the rise of protectionism, was forced to quickly identify the ideal personality to restore its credibility and meet its many challenges.
The deadline for applications closed at midnight on July 8. Eight candidates are now in the running to head the international trade watchdog. Three from Africa (Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria), two from Europe (Moldova, United Kingdom), one from Asia (Republic of Korea), one from Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and one from South America (Mexico). They will make their presentations to the full WTO membership on July 15-16 and 17.
On July 10, the Chairman of the General Council, Ambassador David Walker of New Zealand, announced the timetable for the next stages in the selection process to choose a successor to the outgoing Director General. After discussions with member states, it was decided that the duration of the campaign would be shortened by one month. This means that candidates will have until September 7 to make themselves known to WTO members. From this date, the process will enter its third and final phase, during which a consensus must be reached on a candidate. This period should not extend beyond November 7. In the meantime, a provisional leader, appointed from among the deputy directors, will certainly act as interim manager when Roberto Azevedo leaves at the end of August.
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