Roberto Azevedo

The country will back candidates in favour of having a global trade facilitation pact for services, ensuring food security in poorer nations, and committing to talks on developmental issues

The 62-year-old Brazilian career diplomat's second four-year term was not scheduled to end until September 2021

Azevedo said that bringing forward his departure would allow members to select his successor in the coming months

The WTO is run on the basis of "consensus", meaning that every one of its 164 members has an effective veto