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GENEVA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo on Wednesday congratulated U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, adding that the WTO stands ready to work with the Republican who will officially take office in January 2017.
"We are ready to support the administration to ensure trade is a positive element in a new strategy for development and job creation," he added.
This comes against the backdrop of Trump threatening to leave WTO in July this year during a particularly vitriolic electoral campaign which pitched the 70-year-old business tycoon against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
Trump had threatened to pull the United States out of the WTO if his proposal on penalizing U.S. companies which relocate overseas was blocked.
The U.S. billionaire also called the WTO and existing trade deals "a disaster" in interviews.
Azevedo added Wednesday that "U.S. leadership in the global economy and the multilateral trading system remains vital."
Trump defeated rival Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, pulling a major upset after a controversial and often scandalous campaign cycle.
