WTO director-general role: Okonjo-Iweala nominated for second term, details emerge

• Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former finance minister, has emerged as the sole candidate for the position of Director-General at the WTO after nominations for the prestigious role closed on November 8
• The WTO confirmed her candidacy in a statement issued on Saturday, and revealed that no additional nominations had been received, making Okonjo-Iweala the only contender for the position
• Okonjo-Iweala, who became the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO in February 2021, will now serve a second four-year term, with her current term set to end on August 31, 2025

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has emerged as the sole candidate for the role of director-general at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Photo credit: @NOIweala
Source: Twitter

The WTO said the former Nigerian finance minister agreed to a second term for the organisation’s top job.

“Nominations for Director-General closed; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala confirmed as sole candidate,” the WTO said in a Saturday statement.“Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council, informed WTO members on 9 November that no further nominations for the position of Director-General had been received by the deadline of 8 November and that the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is therefore the only candidate for the role.“Director-General Okonjo-Iweala confirmed her willingness to serve a second four-year term in the role in a letter to the Chair on 16 September. On 8 October, the WTO formally commenced the process for appointing its next Director-General, with members given until 8 November to submit nominations.”

The WTO said the chairman of the General Council will communicate the next steps in this process in the coming days.

“The process was led by the General Council Chair in accordance with the WTO’s “Procedures for the Appointment of Directors-General,” the organisation said.

Okonjo-Iweala’s present term will end on 31 August 2025.

The former minister emerged as the WTO director-general on February 15, 2021, becoming the first woman and also African to lead the trade organisation.

The Cable confirmed the development in its publication on Saturday November 9.

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Oxford University awards honorary doctorate to Okonjo-Iweala

In a related development, Nigerian-American Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organisation, has been conferred an honorary doctorate by Oxford University.

The degree was awarded in recognition of the Nigerian former finance minister's selfless service to humanity in various capacities over the years.

The historic milestone was celebrated at the university's Sheldonian Theatre, followed by a reception at All Souls and St John's Colleges.

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Source: Legit.ng