WTO: OKONJO-IWEALA SOLE CANDIDATE FOR DIRECTOR-GENERAL POSITION

November 9, 2024November 9, 2024

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first African and woman to manage the World Trade Organization, is expected to win a second term as director-general with no opposition.

In a statement released on Saturday, Norwegian Ambassador Petter Olberg, the chair of the World Trade Organization, announced that Okonjo-Iweala was “the only candidate for the role” because “no further nominations for the position” had been received by Friday’s deadline.

In September, 70-year-old Okonjo-Iweala declared her plan to run for a second term.

August 2025 is when her current term, which started in March 2021, is scheduled to end.

Despite early obstacles, she was able to effectively manage the process of the WTO’s 166 member countries reaching a consensus to nominate the Director-General.

Former US President Donald Trump opposed Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy during her first term, endorsing a South Korean candidate instead.

When President Joe Biden took office, however, this resistance was overcome, paving the way for her momentous nomination.

Since assuming leadership, Okonjo-Iweala has concentrated on reviving the World Trade Organization (WTO), a global trade organization frequently criticized for its stagnation and bureaucratic inefficiency. Habib’s gift