Okonjo-Iweala begins tenure as WTO DG today, calls for restructuring

The newly-elected Director General of the World Trade
Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has assumed office today.

Her tenure as the DG will end on August 31, 2025.

She assumed duty on Monday in Geneva, presiding over WTO’s
General Council’s annual meeting.

The council chose the former Nigerian finance minister as the
organisation’s seventh director general and the first African and
woman to lead the WTO.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala revealed her plans to work with other members
of the organisation to restructure the global trade body.

“Some WTO rules and procedures also need to be revisited,
including the procedure for appointing director general,” she noted
in her acceptance speech.

The new WTO boss added that the trade body’s rulebook needed to
reflect 21st-century realities such as e-commerce, the digital
economy, and the pandemic.

The lengthy selection process ended up with Dr. Okonjo-Iweala,
who spent 25 years at the World Bank as she elected to lead the
body by the WTO’s 164 members on February 15.

The council’s consensus made her appointment possible.

The process was hampered by the United States’ objection under
former President Donald Trump, despite the approval of council
members in October 2020.

The newly-elected Director General of the World Trade
Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has assumed office today.

Her tenure as the DG will end on August 31, 2025.

She assumed duty on Monday in Geneva, presiding over WTO’s
General Council’s annual meeting.

The council chose the former Nigerian finance minister as the
organisation’s seventh director general and the first African and
woman to lead the WTO.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala revealed her plans to work with other members
of the organisation to restructure the global trade body.

“Some WTO rules and procedures also need to be revisited,
including the procedure for appointing director general,” she noted
in her acceptance speech.

The new WTO boss added that the trade body’s rulebook needed to
reflect 21st-century realities such as e-commerce, the digital
economy, and the pandemic.

The lengthy selection process ended up with Dr. Okonjo-Iweala,
who spent 25 years at the World Bank as she elected to lead the
body by the WTO’s 164 members on February 15.

The council’s consensus made her appointment possible.

The process was hampered by the United States’ objection under
former President Donald Trump, despite the approval of council
members in October 2020.