World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced her candidacy for a second term on Monday.
The 70-year-old former Nigerian finance minister, who made history as the first woman and African to lead the WTO, expressed her intention to complete “unfinished business” from her first term. This includes tackling key issues like fisheries subsidies, advancing global agricultural negotiations, and reforming the WTO’s dispute resolution system.
Okonjo-Iweala’s current term is set to expire in August 2025, but she hopes to secure her reappointment before the U.S. presidential elections in November. In 2021, her initial appointment was temporarily blocked by the Trump administration, but she eventually gained U.S. support under President Joe Biden.
Speaking to Reuters, Okonjo-Iweala said, “I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story and I stand ready to compete for the position.” She added that despite political uncertainties, she remains focused on guiding the WTO through reforms critical to global trade.
African nations have already rallied behind her candidacy, as they did when they nominated her for the role in 2021. The formal nomination process will close in November.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
