November 10, 2024
By Idris Buba
The Director-General of World Trade Organization, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is on track to securing a second term in office without facing any opposition.
She is the first woman and first African, Director- General to lead the WTO.
Chairperson of WTO, Norwegian Ambassador Petter Olberg, confirmed on Saturday that “no further nominations for the position” had been received by Friday’s deadline, leaving Okonjo-Iweala as “the only candidate for the role”.
70 years old Okonjo-Iweala, who’s current tenure, began in March 2021 is set to conclude in August 2025, announced her intention to seek a second term in September.
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Appointment of the Director-General is made by consensus among the 166 WTO member countries, a process Okonjo-Iweala had successfully navigated despite initial hurdles.
Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy for her first term, faced resistance from former United States President and current President-elect, Donald Trump, who supported a South Korean candidate.
The opposition was however overturned when President Joe Biden took office, clearing the path for her historic appointment.
Okonjo-Iweala, in her first tenure had focused on reinvigorating the global trade body that was once criticized for bureaucratic inefficiencies and stagnation.
