The World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council announced on Friday the consensus on the chairpersons for its bodies in 2012.

The council selected heads of 12 bodies, including the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), the Trade Policy Review Body, and the Council for Trade in Goods, and also agreed on the appointment of the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Development, and TRIPS Council in Special Session under the Trade Negotiations Committee, as released on its official website.

On Friday's session, Shahid Bashir of Pakistan was chosen to head the DSB in 2012.

The result should have come out earlier but was delayed due to some disagreement on certain positions, especially the DSB chairperson. The council, which operates on consensus, was unable to agree on choosing the Singaporean head of mission to chair the body on Feb. 14.

The DSB head normally goes on to chair the General Council, who will play a key role in the selection of a new WTO director general in the next meeting of trade ministers in 2013 when Pascal Lamy finishes his term.