The World Trade Organisation, WTO, has announced that 58 member countries have endorsed a proposal by the African Group for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to run for a second four-year term as director-general.
According to a statement by the Geneva-based organisation, the countries expressed their support during the general council meeting on Monday.
The African Group had proposed that Okonjo-Iweala, who is due to complete her first term at the end of August 2025, make herself available for reappointment.
The WTO stated that 58 members, speaking individually and on behalf of groups, backed the proposal, praising Okonjo-Iweala’s achievements.
“Fifty-eight members, several speaking on behalf of groups of members, took the floor to comment and express their support for the African Group proposal,” the WTO stated.
“They called on DG Okonjo-Iweala to make her intentions known regarding a second term as soon as possible. Most of these members praised the DG’s hard work and her achievements during her first term.”
Reacting to the development, Okonjo-Iweala expressed gratitude for the support, saying, “Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together.”
She added that she was favourably inclined to the call for a second term and would respond to the members soon.
Okonjo-Iweala, 70, became the seventh WTO director-general on 1 March 2021 and has served as Nigeria’s finance minister twice, from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015.
The WTO is an organisation headquartered in Geneva that promotes free trade and resolves disputes among its 164 member countries.
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