WTO Candidates Emphasize Experience, Confidence on 2nd Day of Presentations

The headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are pictured in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
The headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are pictured in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
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WTO Candidates Emphasize Experience, Confidence on 2nd Day of Presentations

The headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are pictured in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
The headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are pictured in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

As Saudi Arabia’s candidate for the presidency of the largest international trade organization - is expected to unveil his program, the Moldovan and South Korean candidates agreed that the World Trade Organization (WTO) needed to regain the members’ confidence and to launch a series of reforms.

WTO candidates will be presenting themselves until next Friday. They will have a few weeks until September 7 to persuade the capitals, which will choose the next president during a special meeting in Geneva.

This comes after Brazilian Roberto Azevedo suddenly announced leaving his post in mid-May, and officially giving up his duties at the end of August, a year before the end of his term.

On Thursday, candidates Tudor Ulianovschi of Moldova and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea, underlined in their speeches the need to reform the WTO work mechanism and to restore confidence by enabling it to keep pace with the 21st century’s world trade.

In his address to the WTO members, Ulianovschi said the organization was not related to the global community today and must demonstrate its importance and do more. He noted that he presented his personal vision for the reform to the organization’s advisory council.

The Moldovan candidate said the top priority for the Director-General next year was to revitalize the organization’s functions, including its negotiating ability and the involvement of all members in the global discussions.

He added that the second priority was to revive the WTO’s judicial function. As for the third priority, he emphasized the need to enhance the principles of transparency and strengthen the supervision within the international organization.

Ulianovschi has assumed the post of Foreign Minister of Moldova from January 2018 to June 2019. He held other diplomatic positions, including his country’s ambassador to Switzerland, and has diplomatic experience of about 15 years.

For her part, Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea’s Minister of Trade, presented her vision for the WTO, stressing that the organization should become “a supreme court” in international trade matters.

She also said that the WTO was at a crossroads, and therefore needed a more confident reform process and integration into the global trading system.

“The world has changed and countries have changed, so there is a need to reorganize global trade,” she stated.

On Thursday, candidates Jesus Seade Kuri from Mexico, Abdel-Hamid Mahmoud of Egypt and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria revealed their programs in front of 164 members of the council.

Other candidates include former British Minister of International Trade Liam Fox and former Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Muhammad Al-Tuwaijri.

Saudi Arabia attaches great hopes to its candidate’s victory, especially after the strong confidence expressed by the international community in the Kingdom’s role in the global economic scene.

Al-Tuwaijri held a number of meetings with WTO officials, member-states and regional groups, on the sidelines of his visit to Geneva to present his candidacy speech to the Organization’s General Council.

He met with Roberto Azevedo, the current WTO director-general, the ambassadors of Arab countries and the group of Article XII which consists of 38 members, in addition to the Latin American and Caribbean group of 33 members, in the presence of the permanent representative of Saudi Arabia to the organization.

Al-Tuwaijri is expected to present his candidacy statement to the organization’s general council this Friday, following which he will hold a press conference with media representatives.

The Saudi minister’s nomination comes amid major global challenges in the trade system and reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to driving economic growth and achieving sustainable development.



Saudi Arabia Revises Q1 Economic Growth Estimate Up to 3.4%

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Revises Q1 Economic Growth Estimate Up to 3.4%

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics has revised its annual economic growth figures for the Kingdom for the first quarter of 2025 to 3.4%, up from a preliminary estimate of 2.7% released in May, underscoring the resilience of non-oil sectors in driving economic momentum.

Seasonally adjusted data showed real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.1% in the first quarter compared to the final three months of 2024, according to the updated figures.

The figures showed non-oil activities as the true driver behind Saudi Arabia’s economic expansion.

Non-oil sectors surged 4.9% year-on-year, up from 4.2% in the May preliminary reading, and grew 1.0% quarter-on-quarter, contributing 2.8 percentage points to overall real GDP growth.

This robust growth reflects the impact of massive government investments in infrastructure projects and development initiatives, alongside efforts to boost the private sector.

In contrast, oil sector activities saw a slight decline of 0.5% year-on-year and 1.2% quarter-on-quarter, primarily due to the Kingdom’s voluntary production cuts.

Despite this contraction, the negative impact on overall growth remained limited to just 0.1 percentage points, underscoring the economy’s ability to offset oil sector weakness through other areas.

Government activities also recorded solid growth, rising 3.2% year-on-year and 5.5% compared to the previous quarter.

Most non-oil economic activities recorded robust positive growth rates in the first quarter of 2025.

Wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels posted the highest growth at 8.4% year-on-year, reflecting a booming tourism and entertainment sector alongside rising private consumer spending.

Transport, storage, and communications grew by 6.0% year-on-year, highlighting advancements in the Kingdom’s logistics and digital infrastructure.

Financial services, insurance, and business services expanded 5.5% year-on-year, indicating maturation of the financial and service sectors.

The data underscore the pivotal role of government investments and consumer spending in sustaining this growth. Gross fixed capital formation rose 8.5% annually, signaling continued funding for major projects and urban development.

Meanwhile, government final consumption expenditure increased by 5.2%, with private final consumption up 4.5% year-on-year.

Non-oil exports, including re-exports, surged 13.4% year-on-year in Q1 2025, while oil exports declined 8.4% over the same period, according to official figures released in May.

These revised estimates come amid efforts by the General Authority for Statistics to align closely with international standards and enhance data quality.

The authority undertook a comprehensive update of GDP estimates, applying the global moving-average methodology and collecting detailed 2023 data through expanded statistical surveys, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

This strong non-oil-driven growth highlights Saudi Arabia’s economic resilience and adaptability in a changing global landscape, reinforcing its steady path toward the ambitious goals of Vision 2030.

In its latest World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast Saudi Arabia’s GDP growth at 3.0% for 2025, a downward revision from its January estimate of 3.3%. The IMF also cut its 2026 growth forecast by 0.4 percentage points to 3.7%.

Jihad Azour, IMF Director for the Middle East and Central Asia, told Asharq Al-Awsat last month that Saudi Arabia’s economic resilience enables it to weather fluctuations in global oil prices.

He noted the Kingdom’s substantial financial reserves provide a strong buffer against external shocks. These reserves, combined with ongoing structural reforms under Vision 2030, have significantly strengthened Saudi Arabia’s capacity to adapt.

Azour added that reforms have not only bolstered economic resilience but also effectively diversified income sources and increased the contribution of non-oil sectors to GDP.

This shift toward developing promising sectors reduces reliance on oil revenues and fosters sustainable new economic opportunities.