Okonjo-Iweala emerges sole candidate for WTO DG

A former Nigeria’s minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has emerged as the sole candidate for the World Trade Organisation’s director-general position.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is the current DG for the WTO, is running for a second term.

She was appointed as the DG on February 15, 2021. Her term will end on August 31, 2025.

Okonjo-Iweala, according to a statement on the website of the WTO on Saturday, confirmed her willingness to serve a second term of four years on September 16.

The chair of the WTO’s General Council, Petter Olberg, in a message to members, announced that no additional nominations were received by the November 8 deadline.

The statement reads, “Under the procedures for the appointment of Directors-General (WT/L/509), I am required to communicate to members a consolidated list of candidates received for the post of Director-General immediately after the close of the nomination period, in this case 8 November 2024.

“I would like to advise members that at the end of the nomination period, the only candidacy received for this post is from Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the incumbent director-general.

“The notification received from Dr Okonjo-Iweala pursuant to paragraph 12 of the procedures in WT/L/509, was circulated to all members together with my communication in document JOB/GC/406, dated 16 September 2024.”

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