Brazil WTO Chief Has Leverage on BRICS in World Trade Talks

The selection of Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo as the next head of the World Trade Organization may help ease emerging markets’ resistance to removing barriers as part of global trade talks.

Azevedo, who is now Brazil’s ambassador to the Geneva-based WTO, defeated former Mexican Trade Minister Herminio Blanco in the final round of closed-door consultations among the WTO’s 159 members, putting him in line to become the first director-general from Latin America. Members of the organization’s general council will meet May 14 to formally appoint the new director, the WTO said in a statement today.