|
||
|
TWN Info
Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Apr21/09) Washington DC, 19 Apr (D. Ravi Kanth) – The World Trade Organization director-general Ms Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala is set to announce the appointment of four new deputy directors-general (DDGs) soon, with India having staked a claim for one slot allotted to the Asian region, said people familiar with the development. India has proposed former trade negotiator Mr Mohan Kumar, who had served as an ambassador to France before his retirement, as its candidate for the post of DDG. Apparently, the Indian trade minister Mr Piyush Goyal has conveyed to the DG that it is India’s turn for the DDG slot from the Asian region, suggesting that a candidate from India has not served for the past seven years in that post, said people familiar with the development. Meanwhile, China also appears to have proposed its former trade envoy to the WTO, Ambassador Zhang Xiangchen, for the DDG slot from the Asian region. With the two powerful countries vying for the same post from Asia, it remains to be seen who will be Ms Okonjo- Iweala’s final choice from this region, said a person, who asked not to be quoted. From North America, the DG is considering two candidates from the US – the Republican Congresswoman Ms Angela Ellard and the former USTR official Ms Wendy Cutler – but all indications are that Ms Okonjo-Iweala may opt for US Congresswoman Ms Ellard, said a person familiar with the evolving developments. As regards the candidate from Europe, the DG seems to be zeroing in on the French trade envoy to the WTO Ambassador Jean-Marie Paugam. France has recently contributed around 6 million euros (around $6.5 million) to the WTO ostensibly to help developing countries deepen their trade expertise. In return for the public funds from France, it appears to be claiming one DDG slot from Europe for its candidate, said people familiar with the development. As regards the candidate from Latin America, GRULAC (the informal group of Latin American and Caribbean members of the WTO) seems to have proposed a former Colombian trade envoy, while the DG is also considering Ms Anabel Gonzalez, who had served as the director of the WTO’s Agriculture Division and is currently at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said people familiar with the development. Aside from the DDGs, the DG also has to finalize her chief of the cabinet, as the current chief Tim Eeend is expected to complete his tenure by 15 May. The DG is now apparently considering Nigeria’s former trade envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Humphrey Orjiako, along with a candidate from Britain and Japan for the post of chief of the cabinet. Earlier, there were suggestions that Ms Okonjo-Iweala is considering Barbados trade envoy Ambassador Chad Blackman for heading her cabinet but now it appears that she is more likely to opt for Ambassador Orjiako, who apparently has no expertise on global trade issues. Recently, the DG appointed Mr Edwini Kessie, who is currently the director of the Agriculture Division, as the head of the newly created Delivery Unit. With the DG opting for candidates from Africa to fill her cabinet, there are growing concerns about the lack of diversity and professional cohesion, said people, who asked not to be identified. The DG, for example, has appointed Mr Yuvan Beejadhur from Mauritius as her senior advisor. Mr Beejadhur earlier failed to qualify for a much lower post than what he is currently holding in the DG’s office, said a person, who asked not to be quoted. She has also appointed Ms Nicole Mensa as her special assistant. Ms Mensa, who hails from Ghana, is understood to have worked with the DG, when she was the chair of the GAVI (the Global Vaccine Alliance) board of directors. Overall, the mood in the WTO secretariat appears to be pretty low as the appointments in the DG’s office seem to be dominated by one region, said a person, who asked not to be quoted.
|
||
