To be sworn-in on 1st March, 2021
The General Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has agreed by consensus to select Nigeria’s former Minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, as the first female African DG of the Organisation.
In a statement by the WTO, “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.”
Commenting on her new feat, Okonjo Iweala said she was honoured to be considered for the position and her key priority would be to quickly address the health and economic issues 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.”
