The World Trade Organisation’s effort to select a new
director-general next week could be delayed for at least another month because
of the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland, according to Bloomberg News.
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, amongst others, 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.
While some in-person meetings may become virtual, 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 November 9 at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva.
WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell did not immediately respond to
requests for comment, Bloomberg reported.
The potential delay of next week’s meeting is neither the
only nor the greatest hurdle to Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment to be
director-general.
On October 28, the Trump administration said it would oppose
her bid because the US preferred South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee for
the job. Yoo has refused to withdraw from the race and has not responded to
Bloomberg’s requests for comment.
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.
Meanwhile, Okonjo-Iweala, who has been the chair of Board of
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation since January 2016, said her
experience with the vaccine body would be an added advantage as countries seek
to produce vaccines for the coronavirus.
The former Nigerian Finance Minister also tweeted last week
that she remained positive of getting into the office despite ‘hiccups’.
She wrote, “Happy for the success & continued progress
of our @wto DG bid. Very humbled to be declared the candidate with the largest,
broadest support among members & most likely to attract consensus.
“We move on to the next step on Nov 9, despite hiccups.
We’re keeping the positivity going!”
The Federal Government also said it will continue to engage
relevant stakeholders to ensure that the lofty aspiration of her candidate to
lead the WTO is realised.
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