Nigeria’s former finance and foreign affairs minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was appointment in mid-February as the new Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO.
The organization’s 164 members unanimously elected the 66-year-old to lead the global trade outfit. Today, March 1, she officially assumes her role as leader of the WTO. She made history by becoming the first woman and first African to rise to the position.
In interviews since her ascent she had outlined her dream of breathing a new lease of life in the WTO and also working to ensure a steady and robust recovery on global trade arising from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite holding American citizenship, her biggest challenge turned out to be an American “block” to her re-election under the Trump White House. But when guards changed in Washington, the Biden government backed her nomination clearing the way for her rise to the post.
Having served under the erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party, PDP government; Okonjo-Iweala got the backing of the current Muhammadu Buhari-led government to pursue the double historic position. (Ghanaweb)