The Rainbow
Despite objections by Egypt against Nigeria nominating Dr. Okonjo Iweala as a replacement to an earlier nominee for the post Director General of the World Trade Organisation, her candidacy has been clearing hurdles and garnering support.
The candidacy of the former Nigeria Finance Minister and ex-Maning Director of the World has scored a bull’s eye with the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States.
The regional economic block threw its weight behind Okonjo-Iweala for the top job at the WTO– the former minister because of her pedigree stands a good chance wining support western and Asian powers.
Okonjo-Iweala who has served as Nigeria’s finance minister twice- under president’s Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan – retired from the World Bank system as its managing director.
She credited with playing a promininet role in negotiating a write-off of Nigeria’s debt in the mid-2000s.
She is is currently serving as one of the African Union’s special envoys to mobilize international support for the continent’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Monday said that the decision enjoys the support of its highest body, the ECOWAS authority of Heads of States
The Economic block according to the statement urged on other African countries as well as non-African countries to endorse her candidature of the Nigerian-born development economist.
The statement reads, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government have endorsed the candidature of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), for the period 2021-2025.
“The apex body noted that since the creation of the WTO on 1 January 1995, which is a successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established on 1 January 1948, no African has assumed the position of Director-General of the Organisation.
“The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government endorsed the Candidate of Nigeria noting “Her long years of managerial experience at the top echelons of multilateral institutions, her established reputation as a fearless reformer, her excellent negotiating and political skills, her experience of over 30 years as a Development Economist with a long standing interest in trade, her excellent academic qualifications, her positions as Managing Director World Bank, and currently as Board Chair Gavi, and AU Special Envoy to Mobilise Financial Resources for the fight against Covid-19”.
“The body also called on other African countries as well as non-African countries to endorse her candidature. “
