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It is not a small fete for world leaders to unanimously vote for someone to become director of a prestigious organisation for a second time unopposed.
The personality must have done something extraordinary for that the confidence of every member of the organisation.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) recently confirmed that Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was returned unopposed for a second term as its director-general. It has been a great news for Nigeria since it was made public.
In a statement released on Saturday, the organization disclosed that Okonjo-Iweala expressed her willingness to serve a second four-year term on September 16.
From being a Nigerian Finance minister to the world economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is surely one Nigerian woman that has proved that being excellent in academics, dedication and transparency can take you to high places.
The former Nigerian finance minister, was confirmed as the sole candidate for a second term as director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council, informed WTO members on November 9 that no further nominations were received by the November 8 deadline, making Okonjo-Iweala the only candidate for the role. The WTO also added that Ngozi confirmed her willingness to continue in the position in a letter dated September 16.
The process to appoint the next director-general formally began on October 8 with member states given until November 9 to submit nominations.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala first took office as WTO director-general on 15 February 2021, making history as the first woman and the first African to lead the global trade body.
Prior to her appointment, she served as Nigeria’s finance minister twice— first from 2003 to 2006, and again from 2011 to 2015
More so, proving she was born to be at the world stage to make a difference, At the G20 Leaders Summit, which held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, engaged with a wide array of world leaders to discuss pressing global trade and development issues.
The summit, which saw the attendance of the leaders of the 20 member countries, including the African Union and the European Union, was held in Brazil from Nov. 18, 2024, to Nov. 19, 2024.
Dr Ngozi met with incumbent U.S. President,Joe Biden, to express gratitude for his support of the WTO and discussed with Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre and World Bank President,Ajay Banga, alongside Ms Ritu Banga.
She also conversed with Chinese President, Xi Jinping, on WTO reforms and modernising the multilateral trading system to address 21st-century challenges. She was accompanied by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for the discussion.
In another notable interaction, Dr Okonjo-Iweala connected with Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, and African Development Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina, highlighting Africa’s role in global economic growth.
Further discussions were held with leaders such as Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan;Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum; Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese; French President, Emmanuel Macron, and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, among others, emphasising the importance of collaboration on global trade issues.
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