Women lead race to head WTO amid rising protectionism, deep recession

World Trade Organization (WTO) members are considering five candidates to replace Brazil's Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as director-general on August 31, a year early. The new WTO chief will need to steer reform and negotiations in the face of rising protectionism, a deep recession caused by Covid-19, and growing trade tensions, notably between the US and China.
 

A final decision is expected later this year, possibly after the US election in November. 
 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria), 66, board chair of Gavi, a global vaccine alliance
 

Okonjo-Iweala has served as Nigeria's foreign minister and finance minister and as MD of the