Director-General of the World Trade Organization

Director-General of the World Trade Organization
since 1 March 2021
World Trade Organization
StyleMadam Director-General
(informal)
Her Excellency
(diplomatic)
StatusChief Administrative Officer
Reports toGeneral Council
SeatCentre William Rappard, Geneva, Switzerland
AppointerGeneral Council
Term lengthFour years, renewable
Constituting instrumentWTO Organization Chart
Formation1 January 1995
First holderPeter Sutherland
DeputyDeputy Director-Generals
Websitewww.wto.org

The director-general of the World Trade Organization is the officer of the World Trade Organization (WTO) responsible for supervising and directing the organization's administrative operations. Since the World Trade Organization's decisions are made by member states, either through a Ministerial Conference or through the General Council, the director-general has little power over matters of policy – the role is primarily advisory and managerial in nature. The director-general supervises the WTO secretariat of about 700 staff and is appointed by WTO members for a term of four years.[1]

The post of Director-General had been vacant since 31 August 2020,[2] after the resignation of Roberto Azevêdo of Brazil who had held the post since 1 September 2013.[3] On February 5, 2021, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria secured the support of the United States for Director-General of the WTO.[4] Okonjo-Iweala assumed office on 1 March 2021, and became both the first woman and the first African to hold this position.

Before the formation of the WTO, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) had a series of directors-general. Peter Sutherland was the last director-general of GATT and the first of the WTO.

  1. ^ See document WT/L/509, accessible from
  2. ^ "WTO Director-General". World Trade Organization. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  3. ^ McClanahan, Paige (8 May 2013). "Roberto Azevêdo to be named new World Trade Organisation chief". Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  4. ^ "After being blocked by Trump, first African and woman takes WTO helm". POLITICO. 14 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.