Press Release No. 05/112

Mr. Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), today congratulated former EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy for his formal nomination to the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

The Managing Director issued the following statement:

"I join the international community in congratulating Pascal Lamy on his nomination to the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organization, which will be considered by the WTO General Council on May 26-27. Mr. Lamy will bring to the WTO his great experience and knowledge in international trade matters. As a former EU Trade Commissioner, he has intimate knowledge of the area of international trade negotiations. This nomination is a great personal success and attests to his expertise and commitment to his past work, which has focused on promoting trade opening to improve living standards and tackle poverty. I look forward to working with him closely after he takes up his duties, in particular in view of the ongoing efforts to bring a successful conclusion to the Doha Round.

"I would also like to express my deep appreciation to Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi for his great efforts over the past three years. During his tenure as head of the WTO, he has made tremendous contributions to the cause of multilateral trade negotiations and was committed to achieving an ambitious conclusion of the Doha Round. I am delighted that he has been confirmed to lead the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. I wish him good luck and hope that we will continue our successful cooperation in the future."