The World Trade Organization General Council today gave final approval to the appointment of Brazilian Amb. Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo as the next director general of the WTO. He will take over from Pascal Lamy on 1 September for a four-year term.
“Today, we have sent out a strong message that the WTO can take decisions by consensus and follow intricate processes seamlessly,” the General Council Chair Shahid Bashir of Pakistan. “We need to carry this momentum further. I am confident that we can work together for a positive outcome at our Ministerial Conference in Bali.” The next WTO ministerial meeting is scheduled to be held in Bali, Indonesia on 3-6 December.
Also at today’s meeting, Lamy pledged to work closely with Azevêdo to ensure a smooth transition.
The statements from today are available here.
[…] Director General Brazilian Amb. Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo, who should take over in September (IPW, IP-Watch Briefs, 14 May 2013), and the upcoming ministerial conference in Bali, Indonesia, in December, might give a new impulse […]