°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ: 2005 PRESS RELEASES
Press/393
4 January 2005
DIRECTOR-GENERAL CANDIDATES
Four candidates nominated for the post of Director-General
The following candidates have been nominated by their respective governments for the post of °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Director-General to succeed the current Director-General, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, whose term of office expires on 31 August 2005:
Carlos Pérez del Castillo of Uruguay
Jaya Krishna Cuttaree of Mauritius
Luiz Felipe de Seixas Corrêa of Brazil
Pascal Lamy of France
According to the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ procedures for appointment of Director-General (summarised
below), the nomination period closed on 31 December 2004.
A formal General Council meeting will be held on 26 January 2005 where
candidates will present themselves to the membership.
The selection process will conclude with a decision by the General Council no
later than 31 May 2005.
Summary of the appointment procedures
The procedures for the appointment of
Director-General, adopted by the General Council on 10 December 2002 (),
stipulate that the appointment process must start nine months prior to the
expiry of the term of the incumbent Director-General.
Since the term of office of the current Director-General, Dr Supachai
Panitchpakdi, comes to an end on 31 August 2005, the appointment process for the
next Director-General began on 1 December 2004.
Full details of the procedures are set out in document WT/L/509. Some of the
time-lines for the process are summarised below:
1 January — 31 March 2005: Three months for the nominated candidates to make themselves known to Members, to engage in discussions on the pertinent issues facing the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ, and to be invited to meet with Members at a formal General Council meeting.
1 April 2005 — 31 May 2005: Two months for the Members to select and appoint one of the candidates. The process shall conclude with a meeting of the General Council convened not later than three months prior to the expiry of the incumbent’s term (i.e. by 31 May 2005), at which a decision to appoint a new Director-General shall be taken.