WTO Job: ECOWAS endorses Okonjo-Iweala says her reputation counts

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) through its body 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 Organisation (WTO).

The candidature of the Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, according to a statement by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, got the regional body’s support going by her reputation and experience, it therefore called on all African countries to support her.

Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The report stated, ” 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 Organisation (WTO), for the period 2012-2025.

“The apex body noted that since the creation of the WTO on January 1, 1995, which is a successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established on January 1, 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,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry reported.