Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala Confirmed WTO DG

World Trade Organisation (WTO) has confirmed Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala as its New Director-General on Monday, February 15, 2021 after several months of delay. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala makes history as the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. Her term starts on the 1^st of March 2021.

She could have been installed as the boss of WTO late 2020 but the then American president Donald Trump threw its weight behind South Korea Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee.

Months after the key ambassadors of the trade organisation recommended her for the job was finally appointed the DG of the organisation on Monday.

Last week the Joe Biden administration endorsed the 66-year-old former Nigerian finance minister and World Bank Chief, dismantling the only obstacle in her way.

WTO has been leaderless since Brazilian career diplomat Roberto Azevedo stepped down in August 2020, last a year ahead of schedule.

The process of picking one of eight candidates to succeed him had been expected to wrap up by November, but the administration of former US president Donald Trump blocked the consensus to appoint Okonjo-Iweala.

Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian Finance Minister, had secured the popular vote by a wide margin on October 28, 2020 but was not named DG because the US opposed her candidacy.

Twice Nigeria’s finance minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and its first female foreign minister in a two-month stint in 2006, Okonjo-Iweala is seen as a trailblazer in her west African homeland.

However, the US government led by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris expressed strong support for Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy as WTO DG