Former Philippine WTO Ambassador Appointed to WTO Ad Hoc Appeal Body

GENEVA 19 June 2025 — The Philippines proudly announces the appointment of former Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Esteban B. Conejos, Jr., to the 10-member pool of arbitrators of the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). The MPIA is a plurilateral mechanism established by 53 WTO members as an interim solution to ensure continuity of the WTO’s two-tier dispute settlement system while the Appellate Body remains non-operational.

Atty. Esteban B. Conejos, former Philippine Ambassador to the World Trade Organization and DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, answers questions during the collective interview in the selection of five new members of the MPIA pool of arbitrators.

Ambassador Conejos joins a distinguished group of 10 global legal experts serving as Arbitrators under the MPIA, which now comprises 53 WTO members, including the Philippines. The pool includes newly appointed and reappointed members from Brazil, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and others. Arbitrators are selected on a case-by-case basis by disputing parties to hear appeals of WTO panel rulings.

MPIA Arbitrators

1. Mr Mateo Diego-Fernández ANDRADE (Mexico)

2. Mr Ichiro ARAKI (Japan)

3. Ms Ana T. CAETANO (Brazil)

4. Mr Esteban B. CONEJOS JR. (Philippines)

5. Mr Thomas COTTIER (Switzerland)

6. Ms Locknie HSU (Singapore)

7. Mr Alejandro JARA (Chile)

8. Mr Paul Richard O’CONNOR (Australia)

9. Mr Joost PAUWELYN (EU-Belgium)

10.  Mr Guohua YANG (China)

Ambassador Conejos expressed deep appreciation for the nomination, committing himself to the “highest standards of professional and ethical conduct,” as befitting the integrity required by the WTO dispute settlement system. “It is a distinct privilege to be nominated by the Philippines to participate in the partial recomposition of the MPIA arbitrator pool,” he said.

Philippine Ambassador to the WTO Manuel A.J. Teehankee, welcomed the appointment, stating: “Ambassador Conejos’ appointment to the MPIA underscores the Philippines’ longstanding commitment to the rules-based multilateral trading system. At a time when the WTO’s Appellate Body remains inoperative, the MPIA plays a critical role in preserving the right to two-tier adjudication and legal certainty in trade disputes. Ambassador Conejos brings unmatched expertise and will make the Philippines proud in this vital role.”

A seasoned diplomat and trade negotiator, Ambassador Conejos previously chaired the WTO Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation (PCTF), where he played a key role in the successful negotiation and subsequent implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)—the first multilateral trade deal concluded since the WTO’s creation. He also served as a panellist in WTO dispute settlement proceedings, further strengthening the Philippines’ contribution to global trade governance.

Ambassador Conejos also previously served as Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs. A native of Ormoc City, he holds degrees in law from Ateneo de Manila University and a Master of Laws from Georgetown University.

His nomination was endorsed by the Philippine government with the support of the inter-agency Technical Committee on WTO Matters (TCWM), chaired by DTI Undersecretary Allan Gepty.

Ambassador Conejos will serve on a part-time basis for a term of three years, with the possibility of renewal. END

For more information, visit https://wtopm.dfa.gov.ph/.