On 31 August 2020, Roberto Azevêdo will step down as Director-General of the World Trade Organization. The selection process for the next Director-General is underway with eight candidates nominated by national governments around the world. The successful candidate will lead this critically important global organization as it faces enormous challenges amidst intensifying international trade tensions, rising protectionism, and the unprecedent global economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this webinar, James Nixey, Director of the Russia-Eurasia and Europe Programmes at Chatham House, hosts a conversation with Ambassador Tudor Ulianovschi, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Moldova (2018-2019). Ambassador Ulianovschi represented Moldova at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2019 and was the top Moldovan diplomat in Geneva from 2016-2018. He is currently a candidate for the post of WTO Director-General.
Chatham House Centenary
Chatham House has worked since its foundation to support and help develop the rules-based multilateral economic system and this event is part of a Centenary series, supported by GEF and the Global Trade Policy Forum, of dialogues with the WTO candidates to better understand their stance on key challenges in world trade.
What is their overarching philosophy on global trade? What is their vision of the future role of the WTO and what will be needed to deliver on this? How will they tackle a number of the most pressing issues facing the organisation as the world grapples with the COVID-19 crisis and on-going global trade tensions?
Participants
Ambassador Tudor Ulianovschi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Moldova (2018-19)
Chair: James Nixey, Director, Russia-Eurasia and Europe Programmes, Chatham House