WTO Director-general Should Be Decided By Consensus

Trade Minister Lockwood Smith has objected strongly to suggestions that the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation should be decided by a majority vote.

"The WTO is a consensus-based organisation, and we would expect it to continue to operate according to this principle," said Dr Smith.

"The delay in forming a consensus around a candidate for the WTO Director-General is no surprise, given that there are two quality candidates for the position.

"However, the Chairman of the General Council has run a fair, transparent and professional process, and efforts to build a consensus around one candidate are continuing.

"We can't and shouldn't change the fundamental principles of the WTO overnight. The consensus based approach has been critical to maintaining the organisation's effectiveness and the support of a diverse membership, including developed and developing economies, and large and small countries from a broad geographical area.

"If there is a desire to change the central principles of the WTO and the way it operates, this should be done in a reasoned manner with wide consultation amongst the membership.

"Moving away from the important principle of consensus must not be done in the heat of the moment. There would be a grave risk of forcing a result which may prove unsatisfactory to significant numbers of the WTO membership," said Dr Smith.