Responding to questions about news reports that Roberto Azevedo was preparing to step down before his term expires next year, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told AFP that the global trade body "will have an announcement on this matter following the heads of delegation meeting" starting at 1400 GMT.

Several diplomats confirmed to AFP that they had been hastily called to take part in a meeting Thursday on "pressing administrative matters", and several said they understood Azevedo's future would be on the agenda.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2020