Finally, Okonjo-Iweala emerges WTO Director-General




After weeks of intense anticipation and anxiety, Mrs Ngozi  Okonjo-Iweala finally  emerged as the first  female director-general in the  25-year history of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

A statement by the WTO earlier today said Okonjo-Iweala, one-time Finance Minister in Nigeria, was confirmed DG of the trade body , after her close  challenger, South Korean Trade Minister and candidate, Yoo Myung-hee, announced her withdrawal last week.  

The United States government had last week announced its endorsement of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala for the top job.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Last October, the World Trade Organisation selected Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and Ms Yoo to advance to the final round in the race to lead the Geneva-based trade body.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was Nigeria’s finance minister during the tenures of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. She has experience working at international governance bodies as a former managing director of the World Bank and as a chairman at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.


**With Agency reports