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TWN Info
Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Nov20/01) Geneva, 30 Oct (D. Ravi Kanth) – The prospects for convening a special WTO General Council meeting on 9 November to decide on the appointment of Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria as the new WTO director- general hang in the balance, following the latest COVID-19 pandemic restrictions announced by the Swiss authorities. In its press release issued on 28 October, the Swiss Federal Council announced a new round of COVID-19 national measures to “sharply reduce the level of contact between people.” According to the press release, “all events with more than 50 people, and recreational sporting and cultural activities with more than 15 people, will be prohibited.” (The Swiss Federal Council press release can be accessed at: https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-80882.html) “Furthermore, the requirement to wear masks will be extended to an additional range of situations. The measures will apply from Thursday, 29 October, for an indefinite period of time,” the press release stated. “From Monday, 2 November, higher education institutions will have to forgo face-to-face teaching,” it said. Against this backdrop, convening the proposed special General Council (GC) meeting on 9 November over the “appointment of the next director-general” based on the recommendation made by the GC chair, Ambassador David Walker from New Zealand, appears unlikely, said a person familiar with the Swiss measures. The GC chair, in his statement at the informal heads of delegation (H0D) meeting on 28 October, had said that “in keeping with the Procedures, our assessment of the preference provided to us by you [the Members] during this third round of consultations is that the candidate from Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the candidate most likely of the two to attract consensus, on the following basis: * Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala clearly carried the largest support by Members in the final round; and; * She clearly enjoyed broad support from Members from all levels of development and from all geographic regions and has done so throughout the process. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 19 of the Procedures (WT/L/509), I (Ambassador David Walker), supported by the Facilitators (Ambassador Dacio Castillo from Honduras and Ambassador Harald Aspelund from Iceland), am therefore submitting the name of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the candidate most likely to attract consensus and recommending her appointment by the General Council as the next Director-General of the WTO until 31 August 2024.” Under the rules of procedure for taking decisions at the General Council, particularly Rule 16, “a simple majority of the members shall constitute a quorum,” the person said, suggesting that 82 out of 164 WTO members need to be physically present at the meeting to take the decision. Due to the latest restrictions being imposed by the Swiss Federal Council, the special GC meeting cannot have more than 50 members present on 9 November, the person said. With the United States having cast serious aspersions at the recommendation made by the selection panel chaired by the GC chair to appoint Ms Ngozi from Nigeria as the next WTO director-general, the special GC meeting has assumed considerable importance, the person said. In a diametrically opposite position to the GC chair’s recommendation for appointing Ms Ngozi, the US continues to insist that it “supports the selection of Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee as the next WTO Director-General.” Ms Yoo from Korea failed to receive enough support from members of all levels of development – i.e., the developed, developing, and least-developed countries, as well as geographically in comparison to the “largest support” received by Ms Ngozi. Also, it remains unclear whether the negotiating group meetings at the WTO such as the Doha Rules negotiating body meeting on crafting disciplines for prohibiting fisheries subsidies can take place from 2 November, said another person, who asked not to be quoted. Although major decisions are unlikely to be taken at the Doha NGR (Negotiating Group on Rules) meeting on fisheries subsidies from 2 November, serious questions are being raised whether it is possible to negotiate with only 50 people being physically present in the room, the person said. The chair of the Doha Rules negotiating body, Ambassador Santiago Wills from Colombia, has scheduled meetings beginning from 2 November to discuss the revised first draft consolidated text on fisheries subsidies. In his email sent to members on 26 October, the chair has acknowledged that the growing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Geneva could force him to change the schedule of meetings beginning on 2 November. In his email, the chair had said that he will convene a heads of delegation (HoD) meeting on 2 November, as several delegations have pressed for a revised text.
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