The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has accepted the nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as one of the candidates for the office of the Director-General of the organisation.
“Nigeria, on 9 June 2020, nominated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the post of WTO Director-General to succeed the current Director-General, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, who has announced he will step down on 31 August 2020,” the organisation said on its website.
When President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) top job, Egypt went on the offensive.
Egypt argued that the executive decision of the African Union (AU) which had set a deadline of November 30, 2019 for African countries to nominate candidates, had been violated.
They claimed Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination was late and should not be recognised.
The current WTO Director-General, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo announced he will step down on August 31, 2020.
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“According to the timetable announced by the Chair of the General Council, David Walker, the nomination period will close on 8 July 2020,” a statement on the WTO website said.
“Shortly after the nomination period has closed, candidates will be invited to meet with members at a special General Council meeting, present their views and take questions from the membership.”
Other nominees for the post, so far, include Mr. Jesús Seade Kuri of Mexico and Mr. Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a world-renowned economist and an international development expert.
She currently sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and the African Risk Capacity.
