(JP/Nurhayati)Indonesia has secured a place in the next selection round for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) top post as its candidate, former trade minister Mari Elka Pangestu, has successfully passed the first of three qualification tests.

Mari, the only woman candidate to have passed the first round would meet four other candidates in the second: from Latin America, Mexico’s Herminio Blanco and Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo; and from Asia Pacific, South Korea’s Taeho Bark and New Zealand’s Tim Groser, Reuters reported.

The nomination of candidates from emerging economies to succeed current leader Pascal Lamy of France, a former European Union (EU) trade chief who will complete his second four-year term at the end of August, has been widely seen as part of these countries’ efforts to have a greater say in the world trade governing body.

If elected, Mari, who is currently tourism and creative economy minister, will become the first woman to lead the WTO. She was highly respected by the world trade body during her seven-year tenure as trade minister due to her firm stance on trade liberalization.

During many overseas trips to support her candidacy, she has highlighted the importance of strengthening the global rules-based trading system, which is the main goal of the WTO, and boosting trade for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

However, Mari, who once coordinated the G-33 group of developing countries, also puts strong emphasis on accommodating the interests of developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), particularly through capacity building and effective aid for trade.

Some analysts have said that despite the high qualifications among all the candidates, Mari still had a great chance of getting to the final round for a variety of reasons.

Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute of International Economics, expressed his optimism about Mari’s chances, saying that she was among the very best in terms of professional expertise, temperament and familiarity with players in the world trading system.

“I still think she will be in the final two or three [...] but as with other candidates, it depends on which one is better able to round up African votes,” Hufbauer said in an emailed reply to The Jakarta Post’s inquiry.

The WTO chooses its head based on a consensus system by its 159 members, according to which the candidate gaining a majority of votes will win. In a process facilitated by the body’s general council, two final nominees will be chosen in the upcoming weeks, with the appointment of the new post holder slated to take place by the end of May.

Mari will likely face stiff competition from Azevedo, at present Brazil’s ambassador to the WTO, who has so far been considered a favorite within diplomatic circles. “The WTO, for its success, requires a hard-headed analytical approach to develop its mission and strategy. Pangestu combines both the research and policy experience that can deliver that outcome.

“The director general must have these strengths; a high level of skill in diplomacy is necessary, but [on its own] is not sufficient,” said Chris Finlay, an economist from Australia’s University of Adelaide, remarking on Mari’s chances compared to other candidates.

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, who replaced Mari in late 2011, also said that Mari would have a great opportunity of succeeding to the second round of selection due to her acclaimed international reputation.

“She has excellent competency in trade because of her long stint as a trade minister, and she is very familiar with initiatives from international communities, including the WTO,” Gita told reporters on Friday in Jakarta.

Once elected, the greatest task for the next WTO leader is to revive its role as a negotiation forum on trade and investment issues after a long-stalled Doha Round of trade talks aimed at easing international world trade.

Mari Elka Pangestu  (tourism and creative economy minister)

Birthplace/date: Jakarta/Oct. 23, 1956

Education: Doctorate in International Trade, Finance and Monetary Economics from the University of California at Davis

Previous jobs: Trade Minister (2004-2011)

Controversy: Despite being highly regarded by the international community for managing crucial initiatives at the WTO, Mari will face a tough fight in Indonesia as her policies often sacrifice the local private sector at the expense of foreign interests.

Affiliations: Non-political appointee

• Mari has been with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) since 1986. She received her Bachelor and Master of Economics at the Australian National University and her Ph.D in economics from University of California, Davis.

• Mari Pangestu has been active in the Trade Forum (TF) as the program coordinator of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). She is the co-coordinator of the Task Force on Poverty and Development for the United Nations Millennium Project.

• She also serves on the board of external editors of the Asian Journal of Business (University of Michigan) and Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies (Australian National University).

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