Moldovan WTO Candidate Says Business as Usual Must End in Geneva

Moldova's Tudor Ulianovschi told the Washington International Trade Association that the fact that he's coming from a neutral country is an advantage in his candidacy for director-general of the World Trade Organization. Ulianovschi, who was speaking Aug. 26 on a WITA webinar, served as foreign minister of Moldova in 2018 and 2019, and during that time Moldova became a member of the WTO government procurement agreement.

Ulianovschi, who served as Moldova's ambassador to the WTO and to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva, said that the next director-general should convince decision makers in the major countries that the WTO needs a renewed mandate. “Of course, that is easier said than done,” he acknowledged, but said that he has a head start because of his experience as foreign minister.

He said that the end of the Appellate Body and the differential treatment for developing countries are significant issues in need of reform at the WTO. “A cosmetic reform is not enough at this point,” he said, later adding that “business as usual is no longer an option.”

It's not clear when the next ministerial conference will be -- Kazakhstan would like to host it in June 2021 -- but Ulianovschi said he doesn't believe the dispute settlement system's future will be settled by then. If countries agree on a calendar of negotiations by then and a mechanism to solve it, he will see that as a victory. However, Ulianovschi said that getting a fisheries agreement done by the next ministerial is very important, because it would build trust that the WTO can get negotiations done. He said he's also supportive of plurilateral negotiations, but suggested that offering the benefits of those agreements to those who don't sign on can't be ended, as there is strong support across countries for leaving the most favored nation principle in place.

Interviewer Wendy Cutler, the vice president for policy at the Asia Society, asked Ulianovschi to respond to those who say he's too young for such a major role. Ulianovschi, who is 37, said he has a good track record of negotiating in committees in Geneva; negotiating with China, the U.S. and the EU for Moldova; and facilitating the preamble at the Buenos Aires ministerial. “Do we want somebody who has motivation to deliver but who also has the energy to deliver,” he asked rhetorically.