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Tuesday March 19, 2024

US rejection of Nigerian woman plunges WTO leadership into uncertainty

By Newsdesk
October 29, 2020

GENEVA: The World Trade Organization’s bid to select a new leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday after the United States rejected the Nigerian woman proposed as the global watchdog’s next director-general. Three WTO ambassadors, charged with finding a successor to Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, had decided that Nigerian former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should be the next chief as she had secured wide cross-regional backing. Their decision, which awaits approval from WTO members, caps a more than four-month selection process involving intensive lobbying which saw her square up against South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee in the final round. The head of the “troika” of ambassadors relayed their recommendation to WTO members at a meeting on Wednesday. However, the United States then said they did not back Okonjo-Iweala. The decision needs to be approved by consensus, meaning any WTO member could block her appointment.