AKIPRESS.COM - World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo plans to step down before his term ends in 2021, Bloomberg reported late on Wednesday, citing four people familiar with the matter.

It's possible that one of Azevedo's four deputy directors general could serve as interim caretaker until his term ends next year, said Bloomberg. 

According to the WTO website, Azevedo is the sixth director-general of the organization. He has been the WTO’s director-general since September 2013 and his second four-year term started in September 2017.

WTO did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.