Brasília – The World Trade Organisation (WTO) elected on Tuesday (7) the organisation’s new director general. Ambassador Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo, aged 55, was chosen. The Brazilian ran against the Mexican Herminio Blanco, aged 62. The new director-general will be sworn in on August 31st, replacing the French Pascal Lamy. The election was disputed up to the last minute. The number of votes obtained by the Brazilian should only be revealed later.
Azevêdo receive the support of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), apart from the Portuguese-speaking countries and several nations in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Since 2008, he has been the permanent representative of Brazil at the WTO. Azevêdo has been directly involved in economic and trade affairs for 20 years.
The Brazilian ambassador, who is a career diplomat, was the head of the Economic Department at the Ministry of Foreign Relations (Itamaraty), from 2005 to 2006, and headed the Brazilian delegation in the Doha Rounds negotiations for market liberalisation.
On Monday (6) the European Union and Croatia, which has 28 votes, confirmed support to the Mexican. But Brazilian negotiators remained optimistic, as the WTO electoral process does not involve just votes. It is necessary to negotiate an agreement that pleases the majority, minimizing rejection to the highest extent.
At the WTO election, each one of the 159 countries integrating the organisation votes on its name of preference. To win, it is necessary to have a minimum of 80 votes. The choice process is in three phases.
The WTOs election process began in late March, with nine candidates. In the second phase, on the 25th, there were five. In late April, the WTO announced that the last phase included only the Brazilian and Mexican candidates. The presidents of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, participated directly in the negotiations, telephoning and speaking to world leaders.
*Translated by Mark Ament
