The endorsement party for Doctor Ngozi Iweala to continue for a second term as Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has begun.
A total of fifty-eight member states of the World Trade Organization out of 164 have endorsed the proposal from the African Group for Ngozi Iweala to run for a second term.
The 58 member countries of the trade association made this known at a July 22 meeting of the WTO General Council, according to a statement by the world trade body.
“The African Group requests that the current Director-General make herself available to serve a second term, and has proposed that the process of reappointing the Director-General should be started as soon as possible,” the statement partly read.
“Fifty-eight members, several speaking on behalf of groups of members, took the floor to comment and express their support for the African Group proposal. They called on DG Okonjo-Iweala to make her intentions regarding a second term known as soon as possible. Most of these members praised DG’s hard work and her achievements during her first term.
Okonjo-Iweala, 70, said she was very grateful for the support from members. “Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together,” she said.
The DG said she does not take the group and members support for granted while tasking them to keep calm as she will return with a response on her future ambition.
Okonjo-Iweala, the seventh WTO boss, took office on March 1, 2021 for a single term of four years which will expire on August 31, 2025. She is eligible for a second term.
The former Nigerian Finance Minister navigated stiff opposition to become the first woman and the first African to serve as WTO Director-General. Before her current appointment, she twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015. She also briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions.
The skilled negotiator had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the number two position of Managing Director, Operations.
