Together First launches report on reforming WTO leadership

By Together First on 13th April, 2021
Blog photo

Together First launches expert report “WTO senior leadership: Towards a meritocratic selection process"

We are delighted to share the latest in our series of expert reports on global governance reform.

This new report examines the selection process for the leadership of the World Trade Organization and makes specific recommendations to strengthen the process and make the WTO more resilient.
 
 
In this expert report founding Together First member Professor Dr Edna Ramirez-Robles sets out recommendations for strengthening the Director-General  and Deputy Director-Generals (DDGs) appointment processes. Dr Ramirez-Robles is Professor of International Law at Universidad de Guadalajara, CUCosta, Mexico and an experienced consultant on international trade and investment issues.
 
Recruitment practices for the leadership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are emblematic of the shortfalls in appointment standards across the UN system. Too many appointments are ring-fenced or subject to regional rotation which can prevent the best candidate getting the job. 
 
The appointment of the new Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was a historic and welcome moment for the WTO. After 26 years a woman at the helm was long overdue. 
However, the Organization faces the most challenging period in its history, with a necessity for urgent reforms. 

In this report we set out key actions that if taken, will increase the legitimacy, transparency and accountability of the WTO, with wider relevance across the UN system:
 
  • The need to ensure meritocratic and inclusive processes for senior appointments
  • The need to codify plans for transition periods to ensure leadership during periods when the head of an organization unexpectedly leaves office 
  • The need to engage relevant stakeholders, including external partners and civil society, in decision-making processes
  • The need for members of international organizations to desist from putting undue influence on leaders to appoint their nationals or allies as high-level officials
 
The report expands on a key theme in our Stepping Stones report - the need for open, inclusive, merit-based appointment processes. If 2021 is to be the year we build back better, strengthening recruitment processes of senior leadership across the UN and its associated organizations, including the WTO, will be essential. 
 
 
Photo: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at a press conference during the 2020 DG selection process. Credit: ©WTO/Jay Louvion