Fifty-eight out of the 164 member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have expressed their support for the African Group’s proposal endorsing the current Director General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for a second term.
Disclosing this in a statement,
“Fifty-eight WTO members took the floor at a 22 July meeting of the WTO General Council to voice support for a proposal from the African Group calling for an early start to the Director-General selection process and asking the incumbent, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to make herself available to serve a second term.”
Several members, including representatives of member groups, commended the DG for her dedication and accomplishments in her initial tenure and urged the DG, Okonjo-Iweala, to promptly disclose her plans for a potential second term.
Okonjo-Iweala, the seventh WTO DG, who took office on March 1, 2021, for a single term of four years, said she was very grateful for the support from members.
“Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together.”
She emphasised her commitment to the members’ feedback and indicated her favourable disposition. She stated that she would promptly communicate her intentions to the members. In the meantime, as per WTO regulations, Okonjo-Iweala has until the end of November to determine whether to submit her application.
The Chair of the General Council, Petter Ølberg (Norway), stated that he received widespread and unanimous backing for the current DG to consider running again and for the process to commence promptly. He said he would contact delegations in the upcoming days and weeks.
Before her current role, the ex-Nigerian Finance Minister overcame significant opposition (from the US) to become the first woman and African to hold the position of WTO Director-General. Before her appointment, she served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, from 2003 to 2006 and 2011 to 2015. Additionally, she briefly took on the role of Foreign Minister in 2006, making her the first woman to occupy both positions.
