WTO top job: Atiku backs Okonjo-Iweala

Former Nigeria’s Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala has secured the support of erstwhile Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Atiku who spoke via his twitter handle on Saturday said, “Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s experience and the enormous related works she has done confirms without equivocation that her leadership shall be a blessing to the WTO and the world.”

In early June, the WTO had acknowledged Okonjo-Iweala as Nigeria’s nominee for the post.

The former finance minister was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The current WTO Director-General, Mr. Roberto Azevêdo, has announced he will step down on August 31, 2020.

The nominees for the post, so far, include Mr. Jesús Seade Kuri of Mexico and Mr. Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt, Mr Tudor Ulianovschi of Moldova, Ms Amina C. Mohamed of Kenya, Mr Mohammad Maziad Al-Tuwaijiri of Saudi Arabia and Dr Liam Fox of the United Kingdom.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a world-renowned economist and international development expert, has also be endorsed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

She currently sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, and the African Risk Capacity.

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