Director-General of the World Trade Organization
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The director-general of the World Trade Organization is the officer of the World Trade Organization (WTO) responsible for supervising and directing the organization's administrative operations. Since the World Trade Organization's decisions are made by member states, either through a Ministerial Conference or through the General Council, the director-general has little power over matters of policy – the role is primarily advisory and managerial in nature. The director-general supervises the WTO secretariat of about 700 staff and is appointed by WTO members for a term of four years.[1]
| Director-General of the World Trade Organization | |
|---|---|
| World Trade Organization | |
| Style | Madam Director-General (informal) Her Excellency (diplomatic) |
| Status | Chief Administrative Officer |
| Reports to | General Council |
| Seat | Centre William Rappard, Geneva, Switzerland |
| Appointer | General Council |
| Term length | Four years, renewable |
| Constituting instrument | WTO Organization Chart |
| Formation | 1 January 1995 |
| First holder | Peter Sutherland |
| Deputy | Deputy Director-Generals |
| Website | www.wto.org |
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The post of Director-General had been vacant since 31 August 2020,[2] after the resignation of Roberto Azevêdo of Brazil who had held the post since 1 September 2013.[3] On February 5, 2021, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria secured the support of the United States for Director-General of the WTO.[4] Okonjo-Iweala assumed office on 1 March 2021, and became both the first woman and the first African to hold this position.
Before the formation of the WTO, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) had a series of directors-general. Peter Sutherland was the last director-general of GATT and the first of the WTO.