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2009-01-06 | All chapters

Lack of candidates clears way for Lamy to remain at WTO
Alan Beattie, Financial Times, 6th January 2009

No candidates have come forward to challenge the reappointment of Pascal Lamy as director-general of the World Trade Organisation when his term of office expires this year.

Trade experts said the uncontested selection was evidence of the respect Mr Lamy had gained among both rich and poor countries, but it also reflected the WTO's struggle to remain relevant given the troubled state of global trade talks.

The WTO said no challengers had emerged since Mr Lamy announced his intention in December to stand for another four-year term. His reappointment is likely to be agreed in the next couple of months.

“Lamy is the best head that the WTO has had in terms of understanding the detail of the negotiations and recognising the disparate views of all parties concerned,” said Ngaire Woods, professor of international political economy at Oxford University.

“But the fact that no one is standing against him is a depressing sign. If countries thought that the organisation really mattered, someone else would stand.”

In December, Mr Lamy called off a possible meeting of ministers which had been mooted as a chance to push through an outline deal in the so-called “Doha round” of global trade talks, saying there was insufficient convergence between opposing countries to make it worth the risk.

Source: http://www.ftchinese.com/story.php?lang=en&storyid=001024048