Okonjo-Iweala

Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonji-Iweala is set to become the next Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Reports say she, this Wednesday, secured the support of 104 of the 164 member countries of the world body. This culminated in WTO ambassadors proposing that she be declared as Director-General.

Last week, it became clear that she was shooting ahead in the nomination race when the 27 member countries of the European Union endorsed her over her challenger, South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee.

Okonjo-Iweala had before then been endorsed by all 55 member countries of the African Union. Some Caribbean and Pacific countries were also said to be rooting for her candidacy.

The erstwhile Nigerian Minister of Finance and former Managing Director of the World Bank is, by this emergence, set to make history. She will be the first woman and first African to be WTO’s Director-General since it was created 25 years ago.