58 countries support Okonjo-Iweala for second term as WTO DG

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) says 58 member countries have supported a proposal from the African Group for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of WTO, to run for a second four-year term.

According to a statement by the Geneva-based organisation, 58 countries backed the call for a second term at the general council meeting held on Monday.

WTO has 164 members.

“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 director-general should be started as soon as possible,” the trade organisation said.

“The current term of DG Okonjo-Iweala finishes at the end of August 2025. She is eligible for a second four-year term.

“Fifty-eight members, several speaking on behalf of groups of members, took the floor to comment and express their support for the African Group proposal.

“They called on DG Okonjo-Iweala to make her intentions known regarding a second term as soon as possible. Most of these members praised the DG’s hard work and her achievements during her first term.”

Commenting on the gesture, Okonjo-Iweala said she was very grateful for the support from members.

“Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala also said she took the call of members very seriously and was favourably inclined.

She added that she would give feedback to members very soon regarding her intentions.

The former Nigerian minister assumed as the director-general on March 1, 2021, for a single term of four years.

Prior to her position at WTO, Okonjo-Iweala served twice as a minister of finance in Nigeria from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015 and briefly acted as foreign minister in 2006.