Sigrid Kaag, D66 Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, is in the running as the new Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Sources report this News hour. Insiders say that the conversations about the position are serious. Kaag is said to have expressed her interest to international colleagues. They lobby for her.
Asked for a response, the minister says she finds it honorable that her name is mentioned. “In this crisis, the WTO is even more important. We need to speed up world trade after Corona. For a trading country like the Netherlands, it is important not to get lost among the powerhouses. But I don’t know the vacancy process. The best candidate must end up in that position. “
Six languages
The WTO is in a difficult position. World trade is suffering from the corona pandemic, but also from the tense relationship between the US and China. Both countries are engaged in a trade war and US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence in the World Trade Organization.
Once established to ensure that trade wars could not escalate, the WTO would now seek an experienced diplomat to strengthen the organization. Kaag was one of the highest-ranking Dutch people in the United Nations. She is fluent in six languages, including Spanish and Arabic.
Leadership D66
D66 chooses a new leader this summer. In addition to group chairman Rob Jetten, Kaag has also shown interest in this. The fact that she is now being tipped for a position in international politics could indicate that her heart is not with domestic politics. When asked, Kaag says that she also considers party leadership to be honorable. “I’m thinking seriously about it. Because D66 is needed more than ever.”
Minister of the Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren was also mentioned as a possible future party leader, but she is not participating in the race. She announced this tonight in the TV program M.
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Other names circulating for the position include former Kenya trade minister Amina Mohamed and former British Commissioner Peter Mandelson. Both have said that the WTO needs to reform, especially closing the gap between the two major members China and the US.
African governments have indicated that, after directors general from Brazil, France, Thailand and New Zealand, there are strong arguments for an African candidate.
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