The United States has finally given its formal backing to Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO), removing the final obstacle to her bid to be the first woman and the first African to run the Geneva-based trade body.
“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala brings a wealth of knowledge in economics and international diplomacy from her 25 years with the World Bank and two terms as Nigerian finance minister,” the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement Friday. “She is widely respected for her effective leadership and has proven experience managing a large international organization with a diverse membership.” The USTR added it “looks forward to working with a new WTO director-general to find paths forward to achieve necessary substantive and procedural reform of the WTO.”
ALSO READ: World Bank Approves $500m To Support Power Supply In Nigeria
Okonjo-Iweala set to become the first African and woman to head the WTO.
The Biden administration’s decision to support Okonjo-Iweala’s campaign will be viewed in Geneva as a welcome shift in U.S. support for the multilateral trading system following four years of salvos against an organization that former President Donald Trump previously called the worst trade deal the U.S. ever signed.
Bloomberg
Publisher,
Lagos Post Online,
Lagos Post is an online publication that seeks to provide fair, unbiased, credible, balanced and useful information about Corporate Organisations, Governments and the General Public by breaking news in Business, Politics, Arts, Entertainment, Culture, and Sports in Nigeria, Africa and the World. As a global news portal, we continually stand for responsible journalism and sound media practice.
Mobile: +238025837037
Email: lagospostng@gmail.com