KUALA LUMPUR: World trade is better served by some one who believes in free trade and ready to meet current challenges including a pandemic, with the objective to calm the international trade environment.
In that sense, Mexico is confident that its candidate, deputy secretary Jesús Seade Kuri has all the necessary experience and nous for the post of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Given his recent experience in negotiations in this side of the world, the Mexican candidate will also be aware of the need to balance the interests of the developing and developed world.
The WTO top post will be vacant at the end of August as incumbent Roberto Azevedo is stepping down a year early.
Explaining further, Mexican ambassador to Malaysia Carlos Felix Corona pointed out to the candidate's involvement in negotiations to craft an updated version of the North America Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), as the chief negotiator of the USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement).
"The agreement was signed last year and it will initiate its operations on July 1 this year. This free trade agreement is the largest of its kind in the planet," he said.
The Mexican candidate roots was planted during his learning curve in GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), IMF (International Monetary Fund), WB (World Bank) and WTO itself.
Coming from a developing country, Kuri is prone to defend their interests and work with them, having also the experience on negotiating important agreements on trade with developed countries.
"In this pandemic scenario, the WTO needs an experienced and sensitive person with an inclusive vision to confront the economic and trade challenges.
"Therefore, Mexico considers Mr. Seade Kuri is the best option to the post for the benefit of the developing and developed countries to advance agreements and actions of the WTO with an inclusive compromise and vision," Corona said.
Among the names said to be in race to be WTO head is Egyptian Hamid Mamdouh while Nigeria proposed its former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The US and China will probably have some influence in the outcome as both are currently in a trade tiff and a candidate from outside the big powers should have the advantage.
This is the belief of Bipul Chatterjee, executive director of the Consumer Unity and Trust Society, a research group based in Jaipur, India, who told the Financial Times:
"The WTO director-general probably needs to be someone from a middle-ranking power where both the individual and the country are trusted by the big powers."
Therefore, Mexico believes Kuri fits the bill and if chosen, it is in recognition of his experience and abilities but, above all, is a sign of the country's commitment to the multilateral order.
Kuri is a strong candidate with the ability to represent the best global interests in free trade, at a key moment for protecting and promoting multilateralism and international cooperation.