WTO Members Rally Behind Okonjo-Iweala, Urge Her to Seek Second Term as Director-General

Representatives from 52 country members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have expressed their support for a proposal from the African Group of the global trade body calling for an early start to the Director-General selection process, just as they asked the incumbent, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to make herself available to serve a second term.

They made the call at a meeting of the WTO General Council, where they urged Okonjo-Iweala to announce her second term bid as soon as possible.

Most of these members praised the former Nigeria’s Finance Minister’s hard work and her achievements during her first term.

Members discussed the request from the African Group of members regarding the appointment of the Director General, according to a statement obtained by THISDAY on Tuesday.

The African Group had requested that Okonjo-Iweala make herself available to serve a second term, and had proposed that the process of reappointing the Director-General should be started as soon as possible.

Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh Director-General of the WTO. She took office on March 1, 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General. The current term of the Director General finishes at the end of August 2025. She is eligible for a second four-year term.

In her response to her endorsement by the WTO members, Okonjo-Iweala said she was grateful for the show of support from members.

“Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together,” she said.

The DG added that she took the call of members very seriously and was favourably inclined. She said she would get back to members very soon regarding her intentions.

The General Council Chair, Petter Ølberg (Norway), said he heard unanimous, broad and strong support, both for the current DG to make herself available and to run again, and for the process to be started as soon as possible.

The Chair said he would be reaching out to delegations in the days and weeks to come.

At the meeting, Brazil presented for adoption by the General Council its proposal: “Moving Agriculture Negotiations Forward — Draft Decision”

The proposal sets out a work programme for achieving tangible progress and balanced outcomes in the agriculture negotiations by the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which would take place in Cameroon.

“Forty-three delegations took the floor on this item. Many delegations thanked Brazil for its work on the proposed work programme and voiced support for adoption of Brazil’s proposal, saying that the text could serve as a good common basis for negotiations to move ahead after the summer break. Others expressed concerns over the process and substance of the Brazil proposal, with some saying that better account needed to be taken of priorities highlighted by the African Group,” the statement added.

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