Ex-Finance Minister, Okonjo-Iweala, Guns For WTO DG 2nd Term

Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Okonjo Iweala, has announced her intention to run for second term as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

She made this known to French media, Reuters, on Monday.

Iweala stated, unequivocally, that she was interested in running for another four-year tenure as head of the Organization.

According to her, there is still “unfinished business” from her first tenure.

“I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story and I stand ready to compete for the position.

“For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering,” she stated.

Iweala says she will send a letter to WTO’s main decision-making body on Monday.

The DG anticipates reforms to WTO’s unsteady disputes system and decarbonising trade.

There are still negotiations on global agriculture on the card, as well as a deal to end fisheries subsidies.

Even as Iweala has till the end of November to decide on her reapplication, the African-led move to start early was initiated in July before U.S.

According to WTO consensus rules, if nobody else applies and all states accept her, Iweala will emerge the Director-General of WTO for a second term.

At the age of 70, Iweala made history by becoming the first female and African chief of the 30-year-old trade body in 2021.