Okonjo-Iweala Emerges Only Candidate For WTO DG Position

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria is now the sole candidate for the director-general role at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as confirmed by the organisation.

The former Nigerian finance minister has accepted the opportunity to pursue a second term.

In a statement released on Saturday, the WTO noted, “Nominations for Director-General closed; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala confirmed as sole candidate.”

Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, who chairs the WTO’s General Council, informed members on November 9 that no additional nominations were received by the November 8 deadline. “The incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is therefore the only candidate for the role,” he said.

The WTO statement explained that Okonjo-Iweala had expressed her willingness to serve another four-year term in a letter dated September 16. Subsequently, on October 8, the organisation opened the nomination process for the next director-general, allowing members until November 8 to submit candidates.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s current term concludes on August 31, 2025. She first took office on February 15, 2021, marking her as the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. At her appointment, she highlighted priorities such as advancing long-stalled trade negotiations on fishery subsidies and revitalising the WTO’s Appellate Body.

A distinguished figure in Nigeria, Okonjo-Iweala previously served as finance minister from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2015, as well as briefly holding the position of foreign minister in 2006. Her career has been marked by her groundbreaking roles and her influence in international economic affairs.
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