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Will the Secretary General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) be born for the first time in Korea?
In recent months, the head of the trade negotiations headquarters, Myung-hee Myung-hee, has been fighting a Nigerian ministerial candidate from the WTO secretary-general’s primaries to the last-minute final.
However, about a week before the final elections, painful news arrived from continental Europe on the 26th (local time).
EU member states have agreed to support Nigerian candidate Okonzo Iweala, a coagulation site. The fact that the member states of the EU, the world’s largest economic bloc, have chosen to support the Nigerian candidate is a very disadvantageous situation for Yoo in the final of the WTO.
In terms of continental blocs, the WTO member states are △ 47 countries in Asia and Oceania, △ 44 countries in Africa, △ 39 countries in Europe and △ 34 countries in America.
Of these, if the collective support of the 27 EU member states in Europe and African countries is concentrated on the Nigerian candidate, the situation is forming an advantageous warning that is close to the majority even by simple calculation.
The election of the Secretary General of the WTO members is not a vote but a collective agreement (consensus), and the WTO has been conducting a final preference study for Nigerian candidates Yu and Ngoji Okonjo Iweala against 164 member states since 19 . Combining these results, a consensus will be reached among the member states and will be announced before the 7th of next month, the deadline for the election of the new secretary general.
It is analyzed that it is fatal not to have obtained the collective support of the EU member states, despite the fact that President Moon Jae-in joined forces to shoot for support after the declaration of the race by the head of the headquarters.
A Korean diplomat said: “We have to see the final results next month without giving up our hopes, but just by reaching the final, General Manager Yoo is a miraculous success.”
In fact, the global careers of General Manager Yoo and Candidate Okonzo Iweala are incomparable enough to be called the battle between David and Goliath.
Candidate Okonzo Iweala has worked for the World Bank (WB) for 25 years, serving as Africa’s largest economy, Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He majored in economics at Harvard University in the United States and received a doctorate in regional economic development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
On the other hand, Director Yoo has become the best trade official in the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but she does not have much experience in working with international organizations. The post also claims that the Korean government is externally treated as the Minister of Commerce, but is a government official at the deputy minister level.
A former Foreign Ministry dignitary told Maeil Economic Daily on 27: “Although Director Yoo is the best trade official, his tenure as general manager is very short and he is not well known internationally. This is disadvantageous to others. member states wanting a ‘predictable candidate.’ “You have no choice but to work. He added: “It has been a great result to have reached the final of the contest with 8 candidates.”
Diplomats also have a cold assessment that the position of Moon Jae-in’s administration, which is taking a prudent step into a triangle with the US and China, is negatively affecting director Yoo’s final accordingly. In Korea, he reports that “if the Nigerian candidate becomes WTO secretary-general, China, which has great influence in Africa, will strengthen the breath,” but among WTO member states, “When considering pro-China diplomacy of the Korean administration Moon Jae-in, the Korean candidate is There is a contentious atmosphere of “no special discrimination.”
A former senior diplomatic official said: “As well as assessing the candidate’s professionalism, member countries will look at the economic, diplomatic and security background of the country to which the candidate belongs. The fact that the Nigerian candidate’s nationality is States United is an advantage over the Korean candidate. “The element that stands out,” he said.
Furthermore, although the Korean government promoted Director Yoo, Korea’s successful response to Corona 19 (‘Defense K’) was highlighted to the international community as an advantage, but the candidate Okonzo Iweala is the World Vaccine Immunity Alliance (Federation World Vaccine Immunity), which strives for the development and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. GAVI) I serve as President of the Board of Directors. It is noted that his career in overcoming the corona pandemic was highly appreciated by the EU member states in the process of making this group support decision.
Although environmental conditions are worsening, many Koreans are still cheering for General Manager Yoo’s propaganda, expecting some WTO rumors to emerge next month.
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