The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced it will convene a special meeting of its General Council on November 28-29, 2024, to advance the selection process for the next Director-General.
This decision follows the recent nomination deadline, which revealed no candidates other than the incumbent, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In a statement issued by the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, it was confirmed that no new nominations were received by the November 8 deadline. Based on discussions with delegations, Ølberg indicated that the upcoming meeting is a procedural step typically taken when the incumbent is the sole candidate.
The first day of the General Council meeting will feature a presentation by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, outlining her vision for the WTO. This will be followed by a question-and-answer session with member representatives. On the second day, members will have the opportunity to decide on her appointment.
The nomination process for the next Director-General officially began on October 8, with members invited to submit nominations by November 8. Okonjo-Iweala’s current term is set to conclude on August 31, 2025.
