Brazilian elected WTO boss
Brazilian Roberto Azevedo smiles during press conference after he was officially named to take the helm of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on May 8, 2013 in Geneva. The fifty-five-year-old career diplomat, Brazil's WTO ambassador since 2008, had defeated veteran Mexican trade negotiator Herminio Blanco in the final round of the contest to become the first official from the BRICS group of emerging economies to head the trade organisation. AFP PHOTO/FABRICE COFFRINI
What you need to know:
- Earlier, Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota also welcomed the election as “a very important result, which reflects a changing international order in which emerging countries show a capacity for leadership.”
BRASILIA
President Dilma Rousseff has hailed the election of Brazilian Roberto Azevedo as new head of the World Trade Organisation, saying, it will help bring about a “more dynamic and just” world economic order.
Sources in Geneva yesterday said Azevedo beat Mexican rival Herminio Blanco in the runoff vote to succeed Frenchman Pascal Lamy as WTO chief.
Ms Rousseff said the choice of Azevedo, which will be formally announced today, “is not a victory for Brazil, nor for a group of countries, but a victory for the World Trade Organization.”
“When it put forward its candidacy, Brazil made clear that, with his experience and commitment, Azevedo could steer the organization in the direction of a more dynamic and just world economic order,” Ms Rousseff said.
International order
Earlier, Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota also welcomed the election as “a very important result, which reflects a changing international order in which emerging countries show a capacity for leadership.”
He noted that Mr Azevedo won the support of “all regions of the world” and, although the results have not yet officially been released, said the Brazilian candidate triumphed by a wide margin.
The 55-year-old Azevedo, who has been Brazil’s ambassador to the World Trade Organisation since 2008, has a reputation as an experienced negotiator and consensus-builder.
He now faces the tough task of trying to breathe life into the WTO’s moribund “Doha Round” of trade liberalisation talks, launched in 2001 with the goal of using international commerce to boost development in poorer member states.
Brazil is the world’s seventh largest economic power. The country is an important member of the Brics bloc of emerging powers, which include China, India, Russia and South Africa.
