On July 22, at a World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council meeting, 58 of the 164 member countries showed strong support for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to continue as the Director-General for a second term. This backing came from a proposal by the African Group.
The WTO made an announcement highlighting this significant show of support. The African Group officially requested that Okonjo-Iweala make herself available for a second term, urging the organization to begin the reappointment process promptly.
In the meeting, representatives from 58 member states, some speaking on behalf of multiple countries, voiced their approval of the African Group’s proposal. They urged Okonjo-Iweala to quickly declare her intentions about a second term. Many members praised her dedication and achievements during her first term. Okonjo-Iweala, aged 70, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support, emphasizing that all her successes were collective achievements.
She acknowledged the members’ call for her to continue and indicated she was seriously considering it. Okonjo-Iweala promised to inform the members of her decision soon.
Okonjo-Iweala became the WTO’s seventh Director-General on March 1, 2021, with her current term ending on August 31, 2025. She is eligible for a second term.
Before her tenure at the WTO, Okonjo-Iweala had a distinguished career. She served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly as the Foreign Minister in 2006, marking her as the first woman to hold both positions in Nigeria. Moreover, she had a 25-year career at the World Bank, where she rose to the position of Managing Director, Operations, the second-highest rank in the organization. Her journey to becoming the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO was marked by overcoming significant opposition.
