Okonjo-Iweala Excited by US Support, Thanks Buhari - Thepodiummedia

Post published:February 6, 2021
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Former Nigerian Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has expressed her excitement over the backing she got from the United States to lead World Trade Organisation. Okonjo-Iweala made this known via her Twitter handle on Friday night.

She also commended President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians for their support. “Grateful for the expression of support from the US today for DG @WTO. Congratulations to Madam Yoo of Rep. Korea for a hard-fought campaign.

“Thank you, President Muhammadu Buhari @MBuhari and all Nigerians for your unflinching support. Thank you, friends. Love to my family. Glory to God.”

US President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday offered its “strong support” to Okonjo-Iweala to lead WTO, clearing a path for her to become the body’s first female and first African leader. The move marks another sharp split with former president Donald Trump who paralyzed the organization and opposed the candidacy of the former Nigerian finance minister who was backed by many other countries.

The US Trade Representative in a statement earlier on Friday cited Okonjo-Iweala “wealth of knowledge in economics and international diplomacy” and said she had “proven experience managing a large international organisation”.

USTR also noted that South Korea’s trade minister, Yoo Myung-hee – whom the Trump administration supported – had abandoned her bid to head the WTO earlier Friday.

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The process to name a successor for Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down last August, has been deadlocked for months.

Key WTO ambassadors tapped Okonjo-Iweala back in October as the best pick to lead the organisation, but without US support the process was left at a standstill since the director-general is normally chosen by consensus among all 164 member states.

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Nigeria’s first woman finance minister trained as a development economist – she has degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard.

66-year-old Iweala spent a quarter of a century at the World Bank, rising to be managing director and running for the top role in 2012, and is seen as a trailblazer in her home country.

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