WTO chief Okonjo-Iweala seeks second term to complete ‘unfinished business’
World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 70, will pursue a second four-year term as head of the WTO, following a broad push from African leaders to initiate the process early.
Okonjo-Iweala, who made history as the first female and African chief of the 30-year-old trade body in 2021, aims to address “unfinished business” from her first term.
“I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story and I stand ready to compete for the position,” Okonjo-Iweala told newsmen on Monday, a statement later confirmed by the WTO.
“For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering,” she added, mentioning that among her priorities are addressing “unfinished business.” This includes finalizing a deal on ending fisheries subsidies, making progress in global agriculture negotiations, reforming the WTO’s dysfunctional dispute resolution system, and decarbonizing trade.
Officially, she has until the end of November to decide whether to apply again. However, the early push initiated in July by African leaders, supported by dozens of countries, was partly motivated by a desire to secure her second term before the U.S. presidential election in November, especially after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
Okonjo-Iweala is one of the few WTO chiefs in the organization’s history to secure global trade deals, including the first part of a global treaty on reducing fishing subsidies agreed upon in 2022.
However, a high-level meeting earlier this year produced more modest results: the accession of two new members and an extension of a deal to refrain from imposing digital tariffs. Since then, some agreements, such as a follow-up fishing deal, have been blocked, notably by a single member—India.
Okonjo-Iweala admitted to newsmen that the job is challenging and that geopolitical tensions among the WTO’s 166 members pose a significant difficulty. “It is tough, you know, very tough. There’s no getting away from that. But it’s also a job that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning,” she said.
Since the Trump administration blocked the appointment of judges to the WTO’s top adjudication court in December 2019, the organization has been unable to function effectively, limiting its ability to address rule violations by members. This policy has continued under President Biden, although Washington is exploring potential reforms that could eventually lead to the revival of some form of dispute resolution system.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
