Okonjo-Iweala confirmed as WTO DG, reveals her top priority
The World Trade Organization has chosen Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as its first female and first African leader, handing her the task of restoring trust in a rules-based global trading system.
After four years of bruising battles between Washington and Beijing over protectionist tariffs and import quotas that badly damaged global trade, Okonjo-Iweala is expected to set about bridging a growing divide between the administrations running the world’s first and second largest economies.
On Monday, the WTO’s 164 members unanimously selected the 66-year-old development economist to serve a four-year term as director-general, according to The Guardian of the United Kingdom.
Eight candidates had put themselves forward to replace the outgoing chief, Roberto Azevêdo, including the UK’s former Trade Minister, Liam Fox. Okonjo-Iweala remained in the race despite Donald Trump telling the WTO he would veto her appointment.
She has previously said the Americans were understandably aggrieved by the lack of a level playing field in international trade and as director general she would seek to take onboard their concerns. Her dual US citizenship means she is also the first American to hold the organisation’s top job.
The WTO’s incoming chief told Reuters on Monday that her top priority was to ensure the WTO does more to address the COVID-19 pandemic and said she was confident her priorities were aligned with those of the Biden administration.
“A very top priority for me would be to make sure that prior to the very important ministerial conference … that we come to solutions as to how the WTO can make vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics accessible in an equitable and affordable fashion to all countries, particularly to poor countries,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
She added that she had a “very good conversation” with advisers from the US Trade Representative’s office. “I think our interests and priorities are aligned. They want to bring the WTO back to (its) purpose.”
