São Paulo – Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevêdo and the former Mexican minister Hermínio Blanco are going to compete to head the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The two candidates have been chosen as “finalists” in the choice process as they were the ones receiving the greatest support in the negotiation rounds promoted by the 159 countries that are members of the institution. In this process there is no vote, and the nomination is by consensus.
Azevêdo and Blanco went to the final choice phase after the competitors from New Zealand, Indonesia and South Korea cancelled their candidacy due to lack of support. In the first round, there was a dispute between the candidates of Ghana, Costa Rica, Kenya and Jordan. The next director general of the WTO will be announced in May and will command the institution from 2013 to 2017, replacing Pascal Lamy.
*Translated by Mark Ament
