Interview with WTO Candidate Roberto Azevedo

My guest on this week’s Wonkcast is Roberto Azevedo, the permanent representative of Brazil at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and one of nine candidates to be the next Director General (DG) of the WTO. Mr. Azevedo has spent more than 15 years involved with the WTO and tells me his deep experience qualifies him to lead it into the future.

“To lead the WTO, you need to be a DG that operates at both the negotiating table level and also at the political and strategic level, and I have been doing this since 1997,” he says. “I believe I know the problems, I know the history of the negotiations and the sensitivities, and what we need now is leadership that is familiar with the problems of the organization, and can find solutions.”

Mr. Azevedo’s agenda for the WTO focuses on three pillars – the first being the implementation of existing agreements. He tells me this WTO function keeps the trade system running smoothly and is one of the most important aspects of the organization because it ensures members are complying with their obligations and provides a forum for them to exchange differing views.

The second pillar is the WTO’s mechanism for resolving trade disputes and disagreements among member countries. Mr. Azevedo has voluntarily sat on adjudication panels three times, and tells me the system is effective and satisfactory.