The WTO usually arrives at its DG by consensus.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been elected Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was elected Director General of the World Trade Organisation in the final two-man race, she polled 104 votes from 164 member countries to defeat South Korea’s Trade Minister Yoo Myung hee.
She becomes the first African to head the WTO.
Her victory came days after European Union member nations backed her candidacy against Ms. Myung hee, who was supported by the United States.
Earlier this month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, chairman of the African Union, said Africa will ensure her emergence for the top WTO job.
The WTO General Council Chair, David Walker, has just reported on the results of the consultations to appoint the next #WTODG as members prepare way forward in selection process.
After the meeting, WTO spokesperson Keith Rockwell summed up the announcement by GC Chair Walker: “The candidate that had the best chance of attaining a consensus of the membership is Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria. Consultations on the way forward will start immediately”, he said.
NOI will replace the Brazilian Roberto Azevêdo, who informed members on May 14 that he would be stepping down from his post, one year before the expiry of his mandate. He subsequently left office on August 31.
Lagos Panorama has learnt that the WTO will formally announce Okonjo-Iweala as winner in the next couple of hours.
The process
The WTO usually arrives at its DG by consensus.
The third and final phase of the consultation process was scheduled to begin in late October and run until November 6.
It is unclear, at the time of reporting, why a winner is emerging now.
In early October, the WTO selected two final candidates — Okonjo-Iweala and South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee from a pool of eight — to advance to the final round in the race to lead the Geneva-based trade body.
