Two finalists in race for WTO chief, including S. Korean trade minister
- 4 years ago
유명희, WTO 사무총장 결선 진출...최종 결과 11월 초에 나올듯
The race to the World Trade Organization leadership is now down to the final two candidates.
By selecting South Korea's Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to advance to the last stage of the selection process, it looks like the Geneva-based trade body will finally get its first female director-general in its 25-year history.
The leadership decision comes against the backdrop of the pandemic, a worldwide recession, the U.S.-China battle for trade supremacy and the American election.
Yoon Jungmin has more.
South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee has reached the final round of the consultations at the World Trade Organization,... hoping to be the next director-general.
The WTO in Geneva officially announced Thursday that Yoo has advanced to the final round of voting along with her contender Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria.
The candidates were cut down from five to two during the second round,... which saw the elimination of contenders from Kenya, Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Whoever gets the top job will have to steer the multilateral trade body through a series of challenges, such as how to restore its leadership against growing global protectionism and the U.S.-China trade conflict.
"The most important elements for the next WTO director-general is the capacity to lead the member countries and mobilize all the members for agreeing to the new direction for the WTO system which is in a huge crisis."
Yoo has earned support from the WTO members for her expertise and 25 years of experience,... having led a number of bilateral trade negotiations with other countries, including the U.S. and China.
She also gained support for South Korea's successful coronavirus prevention measures.
"What's utmost important is the person's, the candidate's competence and capability to save and enhance the WTO and also to take WTO reform."
Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala has experience working on the global stage,... chairing the COVID-19 vaccine alliance GAVI and having served as a managing director of the World Bank.
She also has served as her country's finance and foreign affairs minister.
"We want peace and security and stability. That is why the WTO is needed, with its ability to arbitrate dispute within members."
The WTO is to have the first female chief in its 25 year history.
The director-general will be decided by a consensus of WTO members by no later than November 7th.
President Moon Jae-in called Yoo Myung-hee on Thursday to congratulate her for reaching the final round and added that she has the government's full support.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
The race to the World Trade Organization leadership is now down to the final two candidates.
By selecting South Korea's Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to advance to the last stage of the selection process, it looks like the Geneva-based trade body will finally get its first female director-general in its 25-year history.
The leadership decision comes against the backdrop of the pandemic, a worldwide recession, the U.S.-China battle for trade supremacy and the American election.
Yoon Jungmin has more.
South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee has reached the final round of the consultations at the World Trade Organization,... hoping to be the next director-general.
The WTO in Geneva officially announced Thursday that Yoo has advanced to the final round of voting along with her contender Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria.
The candidates were cut down from five to two during the second round,... which saw the elimination of contenders from Kenya, Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Whoever gets the top job will have to steer the multilateral trade body through a series of challenges, such as how to restore its leadership against growing global protectionism and the U.S.-China trade conflict.
"The most important elements for the next WTO director-general is the capacity to lead the member countries and mobilize all the members for agreeing to the new direction for the WTO system which is in a huge crisis."
Yoo has earned support from the WTO members for her expertise and 25 years of experience,... having led a number of bilateral trade negotiations with other countries, including the U.S. and China.
She also gained support for South Korea's successful coronavirus prevention measures.
"What's utmost important is the person's, the candidate's competence and capability to save and enhance the WTO and also to take WTO reform."
Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala has experience working on the global stage,... chairing the COVID-19 vaccine alliance GAVI and having served as a managing director of the World Bank.
She also has served as her country's finance and foreign affairs minister.
"We want peace and security and stability. That is why the WTO is needed, with its ability to arbitrate dispute within members."
The WTO is to have the first female chief in its 25 year history.
The director-general will be decided by a consensus of WTO members by no later than November 7th.
President Moon Jae-in called Yoo Myung-hee on Thursday to congratulate her for reaching the final round and added that she has the government's full support.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.