Editing World Trade Organization (section)

==Office of director-general==
{{Main|Director-General of the World Trade Organization}}
[[File:Cwr lake facade2.jpg|thumb|The headquarters of the World Trade Organization in [[Geneva]], Switzerland]]
The procedures for the appointment of the WTO director-general were updated in January 2003,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/t/WT/L/509.doc |title=WT/L/509 |publisher=WTO |access-date=18 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913034216/https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/DirectDoc.aspx?filename=%3F%3A%2Fdfdocuments%2Ft%2Fwt%2Fl%2F509.doc& |archive-date=13 September 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and include quadrennial terms.<ref name="wtodg">{{cite web |title=WTO Director-General selection process |url=https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/dg_selection_process_e.htm |publisher=World Trade Organization |access-date=24 June 2020 |archive-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425055155/https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/dg_selection_process_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, there are four deputy directors-general. {{As of|2018|06|13}} under director-general [[Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala]], the four deputy directors-general are:
* Angela Ellard of the United States (as of 4 May 2021)
* Anabel González of Costa Rica (as of 4 May 2021)
* Ambassador Jean-Marie Paugam of France (as of 4 May 2021)
* Ambassador Xiangchen Zhang of China (as of 4 May 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=Deputy Directors-General |url=https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/ddgs_e.htm |website=World Trade Organization |access-date=6 November 2022 |archive-date=12 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812063741/https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/ddgs_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===List of directors-general===
Source: Official website<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/exdgs_e.htm |title=Previous GATT and WTO Directors-General |publisher=WTO |access-date=21 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030132441/http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/exdgs_e.htm |archive-date=30 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Portrait
!Name
!Country
!Term
|-
|[[File:Peter Sutherland (1985).jpg|frameless|135x135px]]
| [[Peter Sutherland]] || {{flagicon|Ireland}} Ireland || 1995
|-
|[[File:Renato Ruggiero.jpg|frameless|140x140px]]
| [[Renato Ruggiero]] || {{flagicon|Italy}} Italy || 1995–1999
|-
|[[File:Mike Moore.jpg|frameless|108x108px]]
| [[Mike Moore (New Zealand politician)|Mike Moore]] || {{flagicon|New Zealand}} New Zealand || 1999–2002
|-
|[[File:Supachai Panitchpakdi.jpg|frameless|170x170px]]
| [[Supachai Panitchpakdi]] || {{flagicon|Thailand}} Thailand || 2002–2005
|-
|[[File:Pascal Lamy, 2006.jpg|frameless|149x149px]]
| [[Pascal Lamy]] || {{flagicon|France}} France || 2005–2013
|-
|[[File:Roberto Azevedo cropped.jpg|frameless|133x133px]]
| [[Roberto Azevêdo]] || {{flagicon|Brazil}} Brazil || 2013–2021
|-
|[[File:Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2008 portrait).jpg|frameless|140x140px]]
| [[Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala]] || {{flagicon|Nigeria}} Nigeria || 2021–
|}

===2020 Director-General selection===
{{see|Director-General of the World Trade Organization#2020 Director-General selection}}
In May 2020, Director-General [[Roberto Azevedo]] announced that he would step down on 31 August 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=WTO chief Roberto Azevêdo to step down early |newspaper=The Financial Times |date=14 May 2020 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3cc4df3d-8329-4de8-8f14-ce063d0cd9b8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/3cc4df3d-8329-4de8-8f14-ce063d0cd9b8 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|last1=Beattie |first1=Alan |last2=Williams |first2=Aime }}</ref> {{As of|October 2020}}, a nomination and selection process is currently under way with eight candidates and the final selection is expected on 7 November 2020 with the consensus of 164 member countries.<ref name="yoodecision">{{cite web| url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/10/12/national/politics/Yoo-Myunghee-WTO-Moon-Jaein/20201012172600409.html| title=Moon, allies intensify campaign for Yoo Myung-hee to head WTO| date=12 October 2020| publisher=[[Joongang Daily]]| url-status=live| archive-date=13 October 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013025403/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/10/12/national/politics/Yoo-Myunghee-WTO-Moon-Jaein/20201012172600409.html}}</ref> A strong consensus had formed around the candidacy of [[Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala]] but on 28 October it emerged that the US representative was opposed to her appointment.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-28/wto-panel-said-to-recommend-nigeria-s-candidate-for-top-post | title = U.S. Sows WTO Turmoil by Vetoing Front-Runner for Top Job | first = Bryce | last = Baschuk | date = 28 October 2020 | access-date = 28 October 2020 | work = Bloomberg | archive-date = 31 October 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201031110805/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-28/wto-panel-said-to-recommend-nigeria-s-candidate-for-top-post | url-status = live }}</ref>

WTO members made history on 15 February 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization's seventh Director-General.

Okonjo-Iweala became the first woman and the first African to be chosen as Director-General. Her term, renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-15 |title=History is made: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala chosen as Director-General |url=https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news21_e/dgno_15feb21_e.htm |access-date=26 May 2021 |archive-date=5 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605025358/https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news21_e/dgno_15feb21_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>