New WTO Director-General should bring fresh energy, optimism and trust
Tomorrow, the General Council of the World Trade Organisation will meet to consider the appointment of the new Director-General of the WTO, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria.
BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said: "Tomorrow will be an important day for the WTO and its mission to develop and support rules-based multilateral trade. We are confident the confirmation of the new Director General – a particularly experienced and accomplished candidate and the first woman heading the organisation – will bring new energy, optimism and trust to the organisation.
A well-functioning and effective WTO is essential for companies all over the world that use the WTO rulebook in their everyday business operations. The European business community asks all WTO members to actively engage and support this momentum for reforms.
We need a strong political commitment to achieve concrete deliverables in the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference, which should take place before the end of the year.
European business is ready to play an active role and bring comprehensive proposals to the table ranging from dispute settlement to trade liberalisation."
