WTO General Council Meeting To Pick Either Okonjo-Iweala Or Yoo Myung-Hee As DG Postponed Until Further Notice

The General Council meeting of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) expected to hold on November 9 to pick a new Director-General
of the organisation has been postponed until further notice.

Chairman of the General Council, Ambassador David Walker,
informed the 164-members of the council in a statement on its
website on Friday.

The council had initially planned to meet on November 9 to pick
the new Director-General between former Nigeria’s Finance Minister,
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South African Trade Minister, Yoo
Myung-hee.

Many of the ambassadors of the world body as well as African and
European countries have declared their support for Dr Okonjo-Iweala
while the United States kicked against the emergence of the former
Nigerian Finance Minister, rooting for Ms Yoo Myung-hee.

But according to the statement on the website of WTO: “The
General Council meeting scheduled for 9 November to consider the
appointment of the next WTO Director-General has been postponed.
Ambassador David Walker, the chair of the General Council, informed
members of the decision on 6 November.

Ambassador Walker said the meeting would be postponed until
further notice, during which time he would continue undertaking
consultations with delegations.

The General Council meeting of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) expected to hold on November 9 to pick a new Director-General
of the organisation has been postponed until further notice.

Chairman of the General Council, Ambassador David Walker,
informed the 164-members of the council in a statement on its
website on Friday.

The council had initially planned to meet on November 9 to pick
the new Director-General between former Nigeria’s Finance Minister,
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South African Trade Minister, Yoo
Myung-hee.

Many of the ambassadors of the world body as well as African and
European countries have declared their support for Dr Okonjo-Iweala
while the United States kicked against the emergence of the former
Nigerian Finance Minister, rooting for Ms Yoo Myung-hee.

But according to the statement on the website of WTO: “The
General Council meeting scheduled for 9 November to consider the
appointment of the next WTO Director-General has been postponed.
Ambassador David Walker, the chair of the General Council, informed
members of the decision on 6 November.

Ambassador Walker said the meeting would be postponed until
further notice, during which time he would continue undertaking
consultations with delegations.