The European Union has chosen its candidate to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The EU Ambassador to Geneva will officially announce this Tuesday, October 27th.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance of Nigeria, formerly number two at the World Bank and perhaps soon the Director-General of the WTO. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could become both the first woman but also the first African personality to take over the leadership of the organization.
The 27 Member States were slow to agree on his name. They finally reached consensus on Monday. But seven delegations still asked that their preference for its rival be recorded. The other candidate is Korean Yoo Myung-hee, former South Korea’s trade minister.
A clear signal to Africa
In any case, the European Union’s support for the 66-year-old Nigerian woman marks a “clear signal against Africa and a sign of mutual trust”.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala claims to be “the candidate for reform”. If the former minister is appointed on 7 November 2020, it will focus on two priorities. Firstly, an agreement on fishing aid. Then the restoration of the WTO Tribunal, set aside by the US President in December 2019. Its goal is clear: to show that the WTO is crucial.
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