The World Trade Organisation (WTO) today formally ratified the candidacy of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its first female and African Director-General (DG).

The decision was taken by consensus at a special meeting today of the Organisation's General Council.

WTO members made history today (15 February) when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General.

When she takes office on 1 March, Dr Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first African to be chosen as Director-General. Her term, renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025.

"This is a very significant moment for the WTO. On behalf of the General Council, I extend our warmest congratulations to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment as the WTO's next Director-General and formally welcome her to this General Council meeting," said General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand who, together with co-facilitators Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and Amb. Harald Aspelund (Iceland) led the nine-month DG selection process.

"Dr Ngozi, on behalf of all members I wish to sincerely thank you for your graciousness in these exceptional months, and for your patience. We look forward to collaborating closely with you, Dr Ngozi, and I am certain that all members will work with you constructively during your tenure as Director-General to shape the future of this organization," he added.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala said a key priority for her would be to work with members to quickly address the economic and health consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am honoured to have been selected by WTO members as WTO Director-General," said Dr Okonjo-Iweala. "A strong WTO is vital if we are to recover fully and rapidly from the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with members to shape and implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again. Our organization faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today."

The General Council decision follows months of uncertainty which arose when the United States initially refused to join the consensus around Dr Okonjo-Iweala and threw its support behind Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea. But following Ms Yoo's decision on 5 February to withdraw her candidacy, the administration of newly elected US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. dropped the US objection and announced instead that Washington extends its "strong support" to the candidacy of Dr Okonjo-Iweala.

Amb. Walker extended his thanks to all eight of the candidates who participated in the selection process and particularly to Ms Yoo "for her ongoing commitment to and support for the multilateral trading system and for the WTO".

The General Council agreed on 31 July that there would be three stages of consultations held over a two-month period commencing 7 September. During these confidential consultations, the field of candidates was narrowed from eight to five and then two. On 28 October, General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand had informed members that based on consultations with all delegations Dr Okonjo-Iweala was best poised to attain consensus of the 164 WTO members and that she had the deepest and the broadest support among the membership. At that meeting, the United States was the only WTO member which said it could not join the consensus.

The consultation process undertaken by the chair and facilitators was established through guidelines agreed by all WTO members in a 2002 General Council decision. These guidelines spelled out the key criteria in determining the candidate best positioned to gain consensus is the "breadth of support" each candidate receives from the members. During the DG selection processes of 2005 and 2013, breadth of support was defined as "the distribution of preferences across geographic regions and among the categories of members generally recognized in WTO provisions: that is (Least developed countries), developing countries and developed countries". This same process, agreed by all members in the General Council in 2020, was strictly followed by Chair Walker and his colleagues throughout the 2020-21 DG selection process.

The process for selecting a new Director-General was triggered on 14 May when former Director-General Mr Roberto Azevêdo informed WTO members he would be stepping down from his post one year before the expiry of his mandate. He subsequently left office on 31 August.

WTO

Okonjo-Iweala had built her campaign on rebuilding trust, hunting for solutions, strengthening the multi-lateral trading system of the WTO amid growing protectionism.

This is a victory for Nigeria and not for Biafra

#ipobamaka

Congratulations to Madam NOI.

Anioma Amaka.

Congratulations madam!
When Nigerians made us proud outside d county, we rejoice as one entity.
Football is another thing that unite us.
But Religion and ethnicity are the major problems.

God go punish Herdsmen killing and kidnapping innocent people.

Wishing you success Ngoo

Congratulations

Congratulations Madame, Truly a plus to the African Continent.

Trump may die of heart attack with this

She outstandingly deserve it

Congrats ma'am!

IGBO AMAKA

Noted

Congrats Ma.

Nice one, on to the next one

Make the woman no shaa fall hands

Congratulations to her. When we unite for a common purpose as a country, not even the US can stop us. Kudos to the Buhari administration for coming through for her. We hope she leads the organization well and show Nigeria’s exceptionalism to the rest of the world.

fergie001:
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) today formally ratified the candidacy of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its first female and African Director-General (DG).

The decision was taken by consensus at a special meeting today of the Organisation's General Council.



WTO

Okonjo-Iweala had built her campaign on rebuilding trust, hunting for solutions, strengthening the multi-lateral trading system of the WTO amid growing protectionism.


lalasticlala mynd44

Congrats to her and congrats to Nigerians

Congrats

Congratulations to my elder sister celebration has started I wish Agu is still alive to see you making us proud


God bless ogwashi uku

God bless my south Eastern brothers and sisters

God bless Anioma land

Igbo amaka
Am yet to see one Musa making waves in Europe and America,is it only in Nigeria quota system they are talented at.

Congratulations to her, but I'm irked that just a single country has so much power to determine who becomes the DG. They should go ahead and rename it as USTO.

nairavsdollars:
Trump may die of heart attack with this

It's just policy differences. Trump has no personal issues with her.

Congratulations to her! It's a well deserved post

Congrats! At least one good news

Congratulations sweetheart...trump been won spoil show for you but God pass them

Congrats omo naija! Anybody wey say Igbo Amaka na ogun go strike your right yansh.

Congratulations true Daughter of IPOB. A beauty amazon. A true model and a woman who understands marriage and family life.

We are always proud of you

My Easter brothers be like 'IGBO AMAKA'