Though not officially announced on the WTO website, reports of the next WTO chief are coming in - It would be Roberto Azevedo from Brazil. Reuters confirmed it here. IELP reiterated it here.
Lot of hopes of reviving Doha, to tackling politically sensitive issues in international trade to a greater involvement of developing countries in the multilateral system are pinned on this new selection of the chief.
An interesting aspect in the Reuters report about the currency undervaluation issue that Brazil has raised at the WTO:
"Azevedo has led an effort to get the WTO to discuss the impact of exchange rates on global trade, which many members do not consider a relevant issue for the trade body and one that should be dealt with at the International Monetary Fund.
The currency debate is unlikely to gain traction under Azevedo's tenure as head of the WTO because it would need member countries to take it forward."
Whether it will receive any traction at the multilateral trading body is anybody's guess.
Over to the next DG of the WTO in September.
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