The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) efforts to elect a new leader next week could be delayed for at least another month owing to the Surge COVID-19 cases in Switzerland.
This development may bring about a virtual meeting for the selection of the new Director General, However, senior WTO officials are discussing whether to postpone their plan to make a formal decision on Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment at a general council meeting currently scheduled for Nov. 9 at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva.
According to Bloomberg, on Sunday, Geneva’s cantonal authorities announced strict new lockdown measures amid a surge in infections and hospitalisations in the Swiss city.
From November 2 until November 29, the area will prohibit public and private events of more than five people.
More European countries including France, England, Germany, Spain have also imposed different curbs amid a new COVID-19 surge in the region.
The development could further disrupt the WTO’s ability to confirm Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first African and first woman to lead the organisation in its 25-year history.
On Oct. 28 the Trump administration said it would oppose her bid because the U.S. preferred South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee for the job.
The US unilaterally opposed Okonjo-Iweala despite the fact that the WTO selection committee determined she “clearly carried the largest support by members” and “clearly enjoyed broad support from members from all levels of development and from all geographic regions.”
The US move has disrupted the leadership race because all WTO decisions are made by a consensus of its 164 members, which means a single country – in this case the US – can oppose a decision for any reason.
However, Bloomberg reported that Some trade officials argue that if Trump loses the election, as many polls are indicating, the WTO’s selection process should wait until after Joe Biden is inaugurated.
Some trade delegates told Bloomberg they would find a more constructive partner in Biden whose advisers have advocated for greater engagement with U.S. allies and to strengthen multilateral institutions like the WTO.
But the WTO selection process may not move quickly even if Biden is elected. That’s because he won’t be inaugurated until Jan. 20 and crucial domestic priorities such as delivering a financial stimulus package and stopping the spread of Covid will take priority over WTO matters.
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