admin
Business Reporter
NIGERIA’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and African to be selected director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) says her key priority is to quickly get the global economy going again through addressing the business 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 in her acceptance speech, publicised soon after confirmation of her candidature by the multilateral trading body on Monday.
“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.”
Dr Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged her tenure comes at a time the WTO was facing many challenges but stressed the importance of working together.
“We can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today,” she said.
WTO members made history when the general council agreed by consensus to select Dr Okonjo-Iweala as the organization’s seventh director-general.
She takes office on 1 March and becomes the first woman and the first African to be chosen as director-general. Her term, renewable, will expire on August 31, 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, Mr David Walker of New Zealand who, together with co-facilitators, led the nine-month DG selection process.
The process for selecting a new DG was triggered on 14 May last year 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 August 31.
Online Reporter