Ambassador McCook leaves public service for WTO senior adviser role
Published:Thursday | March 22, 2018 | 12:00 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
Career diplomat Ambassador Wayne McCook is to leave the government service to take up a post in an international organisation.
McCook's tenure as Jamaica's permanent representative to the United Nations and its specialised agencies in Geneva, Switzerland, came to an end in January.
"My tour of duty came to an end earlier in the year, and now I am in office at headquarters. I will be assuming a post at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a private capacity as senior adviser to the secretary general," McCook told The Gleaner yesterday.
McCook will be replaced in Geneva by Ambassador Cheryl Spencer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed.
"Ambassador Spencer has been in Geneva since mid-February. This is her second posting after being named Jamaica's high commissioner to South Africa," the ministry said.
As Jamaica's permanent representative to the United Nations and its specialised agencies in Geneva, Switzerland, and Rome, Italy, McCook led negotiations on behalf of developing countries in the WTO, which resulted in the conclusion of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. As chairman of the Group of 77, in Geneva, he also played a leading role in the negotiations for the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's 2016-2020 mandate.
INT'L ASSIGNMENTS
McCook's 40 years of diplomatic service also took him to the People's Republic of China, where he served as Jamaica's first resident ambassador, having been assigned responsibility for the establishment of Jamaica's embassy in Beijing (2005-2008). He served concurrently as ambassador to Vietnam, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, The Kingdom of Thailand, Laos, and as high commissioner to Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Other overseas assignments include appointments as deputy permanent representative in Jamaica's Mission to the United Nations, deputy head of mission in Jamaica's embassy to the United States of America, information attachÈ in Jamaica's high commission in Ottawa, Canada, and in Jamaica's embassy in Washington, DC.