BRASILIA: The election of Brazilian candidate Roberto Azevedo as the new head of the World Trade Organization reflects a changing world order and is a victory for Brazil, Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said here Tuesday.
Sources in Geneva earlier said Azevedo beat Mexican rival Herminio Blanco in the runoff vote to succeed Frenchman Pascal Lamy as WTO chief.
The choice of Azevedo, which will be formally announced Wednesday, is "a very important result which reflects a changing international order in which emerging countries shows a capacity for leadership," he told a press conference.
"It is also a victory for Brazil and also a personal victory (for Azevedo), the foreign minister said.
The 55-year-old Azevedo has a reputation as an experienced negotiator and consensus-builder.
He has been Brazil's WTO ambassador since 2008, after working as a chief litigator in high-profile trade disputes, making him well placed to navigate the system to try to clear the Doha logjam.
<Center><b><i>Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2013</b></i></center>
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