WTO DG Archives - Voice of Liberty NG

Okonjo-Iweala reappointed as WTO Director-General

November 30, 2024November 30, 2024 Aminu Imam

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed as the Director-General (DG) of the World Trade Organisation for another term. The reappointment was announced by the WTO yesterday, stating that Okonjo-Iweala�s second-term will commence on September 1, 2025. A notification sent to journalists showed that WTO members agreed to reappoint Okonjo-Iweala after a general council meeting. �Her second four-year term, which was approved at a special General Council meeting, will begin on 1 September 2025. DG Okonjo-Iweala took office as Director-General in March 2021 and is the first African and the first woman…

58 countries back Okonjo-Iweala for second term as WTO D-G

July 24, 2024July 24, 2024 Aminu Imam

Fifty-eight of the 164 member States of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members have voiced support for a proposal from the African Group backing incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to serve a second term. The 58 member countries of the trade association made this known at a July 22 meeting of the WTO General Council, according to a statement issued yesterday by the world trade body. �The African Group requests that the current Director-General make herself available to serve a second term, and has proposed that the process of reappointing the…

Okonjo-Iweala insists she�s enjoying WTO job amid talks of resignation

October 2, 2021October 2, 2021 Aminu Imam

The Director-General (D-G) of the World Trade Organisation, (WTO), Okonjo-Iweala, says she is still enjoying her job amid talks of resignation. Recall that on Thursday, Bloomberg reported that the WTO D-G considered resignation due to the �organisation�s historical inertia�. Okonjo-Iweala, the seventh WTO D-G took effect on March 1, 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as head of the institution. Citing 5 WTO officials, Bloomberg reported that they explained that Okonjo-Iweala privately floated the idea that she may resign if there is no headway in…

EU reports Nigeria to WTO

March 17, 2021March 17, 2021 Aminu Imam

The European Union, (EU), has reported Nigeria to the World Trade�Organisation,�(WTO).� The Director-General of the WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, made this disclosure in Abuja yesterday, when she visited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The complaint was about Nigeria�s policy on dairy products. Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO has received a letter from the EU complaining about Nigeria�s restrictions on milk and dairy products. She said the WTO will look into the complaint, but urged Nigerians to take advantage of the Trade Remedy Initiative in place at the WTO to protect local industries.

Okonjo-Iweala makes first visit to Nigeria as WTO D-G

March 14, 2021March 14, 2021 Aminu Imam

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has made her first visit to Nigeria since she assumed office. She was received upon her arrival in the country on Saturday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo. Okonjo-Iweala told reporters, in Abuja, that her visit to Nigeria was to show appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the support accorded her. She also hinted that discussion on how Nigeria can leverage her position to benefit from trans-national trade formed part of her visit to…

Okonjo-Iweala resumes as WTO DG today

March 1, 2021March 1, 2021 Aminu Imam

Former finance minister,Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, takes over the World Trade Organisation (WTO) today, amid hopes that she will spur the beleaguered body into addressing its towering challenges, including the pandemic-fuelled global economic crisis. �The WTO is too important to allow it to be slowed down, paralysed and moribund,� the first woman and first African to ever lead the global trade body told AFP a day after her nomination last month. Okonjo-Iweala takes the helm after the WTO was left adrift for seven months following the sudden departure of Brazilian career diplomat…

WTO: ‘My performance�ll open doors for Africans, women’, says Okonjo-Iweala

February 18, 2021February 18, 2021 Aminu Imam

Ahead of her resumption at the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation, (WTO), on March 1, 2021, Nigeria�s pride, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said her performance in office between March this year and August 31, 2025, will open doors for Africans and women to lead international organisations. Speaking during an interview on a TV programme, the Nigerian development economist said she unabashedly �love being African and being Nigerian�. Known for many firsts including the first female finance minister in Nigeria and now the first female WTO DG, the 66-year-old Harvard graduate said…

WTO: Okonjo-Iweala emerges as first female, African DG

February 16, 2021February 16, 2021 Aminu Imam

…New D-G lists priorities …”She brought more honour to Nigeria” – Buhari Following the convening of the special council general meeting of the World Trade Organisation, (WTO), its members yesterday agreed by consensus to select Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as the organisation�s seventh Director-General. The official announcement was made by the global trade body via social media, as it tweeted: �Breaking: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria is appointed as the next WTO Director-General. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala makes history as the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. Her term starts on the…

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala set to be first African boss of WTO

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021 Aminu Imam

After nearly six months without a leader, the World Trade Organisation, (WTO), looks set to appoint Nigeria�s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its first female and first African leader on Monday. Dr Okonjo-Iweala used to be Nigeria�s finance minister. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. Her task will not be easy. Although she is not a trade expert, says she can be a �clear set of eyes� for the global trade body. It has taken more than six months for the WTO to agree on…

Just In! WTO: South Korean�s Myung-hee withdraws from race, Okonjo-Iweala remains sole candidate

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 Aminu Imam

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian finance minister, has become the sole candidate in the World Trade Organisation�s Director-General race, as the South-Korean candidate for the position, Yoo Myung-hee, withdrew her bid to contest. This was disclosed by Myung-hee after she had mentioned it to the United States, according to Bloomberg. This means that Nigeria�s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is now the sole candidate left in the race. Yoo Myung-hee is South Korea�s Trade minister and its candidate for the top job at the WTO following the resignation of Roberto Azevedo. Okonjo-Iweala had secured…