ECOWAS Backs, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for World Trade Organization Director-General
By Richard Adorsu-

ECOWAS Building
Photo Credit: Africainvestor
NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS (NABN) Accra, Ghana- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in a statement thrown its weight behind the candidature of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala for the position after Nigeria formally nominated Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, the economist, for the position for the period 2021-2025.
A statement signed by the chairperson of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Mahamadou Issoufou also called on other African countries and non-African countries to support her candidature.
“…since the creation of the World Trade Organization (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 Organization,” the statement said in part.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has nominated Dr. Liam Fox for the post of World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General to succeed the current Director-General, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, who has announced he will step down on 31 August 2020.
It means he will need to ward off competition from others including Nigeria’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who was the Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs and was also Managing Director Operations at the World Bank.
All the candidates are expected to meet with members of the WTO at a special General Council meeting, to present their views and take questions from the membership.
The nomination period closed on Wednesday, July 8, according to the timetable announced by the Chair of the General Council, David Walker.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a Nigerian-born economist and International development expert. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and the African Risk Capacity (ARC). She has spent 25 years career at the World Bank as a development economist, scaling the ranks to the number 2 position of Managing Director.
For New Africa Business News Richard Adorsu Reports, Africa Correspondent
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Madam Okonjo-Iweala has the experience to head WTO. Thank you for reporting. Sade in Lagos Nigeria
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WTO needs African like Dr Okonjo-Iweala. We support her to this Leadership post. Abuja, Nigeria. Adeola
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Of course Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will do better job than the other Candidates. WTO would be happy with Her. Adanna! Edinburgh SCOTLAND
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Great reporting NABN. I love this online newspaper. Africa first, Ladies and gentlemen. Julianna. Kampala Uganda
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AU should also thrown its weight behind the candidature of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala. Thanks for your report. Wendy in CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA
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Wendy I totally agree African Union need to do that if they did not yet. Thank you for reporting. Ursala! Nairobi! Kenya!
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Thank you for adding me to your newsletter. I love it. Antananarivo Madagascar. Danna
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Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, our continent is with you. You have the qualification and experience to lead WTO. SOUTH AFRICA, Durban, THABISA
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You got it. Is time for African to lead WTO. Our support are with you. Love your great newspaper. Cairo Egypt. Yussuf
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Africa in leadership! Richard, thank you for reporting.
Barbara,Accra, Ghana.
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