(3 minutes read)
· Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has become the director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
· Her hands will be full and work challenging since she has to fire fight many issues to bring back the organization on rail
· Okonjo-Iweala, has to work diligently within the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic on trade flows, persistent U.S.-China conflict; respond to pressure to reform trade rules etc
Finally, Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has become the director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) . The election was unanimous. She was appointed at a special meeting on Monday as the first female and first African head of the world trade body. The former Nigerian finance minister and World Bank veteran will take up her post on March 1 after a trail of uncertainties that lasted for several months.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s track record of taking on seemingly intractable problems is well recognized. Her hands will be full and work challenging since she has to fire fight many issues to bring back the organization on rail. During the Donald Trump Administration, the US has threatened to pull the United States out of the organization. She may not have to face similar tough postures from the present US administration.
Okonjo-Iweala, has to work diligently within the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic on trade flows, persistent U.S.-China conflict; respond to pressure to reform trade rules etc. That indeed, is an arduous task.
