By Hamilton Nwosa
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced that former Nigerian Finance Minister and current Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) would be returning unopposed for a second term as CEO of the multilateral trade Organization.
This development is coming on the heels of the fact that up until the close of nominations for candidates, on November 8, 2024, no additional nominations were received at the WTO Secretariat, vying for the coveted seat of WTO DG.
Going by this development, Okonjo-Iweala who holds both a Nigerian and American citizenship, would typically be running unopposed for the office of Director-General of the multilateral organization based in Geneva.
In a press statement released on the WTO website on Saturday, the body maintained that the former Nigerian finance minister has indicated her desire to go for a second term of four years.
Procedurally, the protocols for choosing the incoming director-general had commenced on October 8, with WTO member countries given until November 8, 2024 to submit national and regional nominations. But by the close of work on Friday, November 8, there were no additional nominations from any country or anyone expressing interest in that role of WTO DG.
Indeed, in a message to members states, Mr Peter Olberg, lead of the WTO’s General Council, was clear and explicit that no additional nominations were received by the close of deadline on November 8, 2024.
“Under the procedures for the appointment of Directors-General(WTO), I am required to communicate to Members a consolidated list of candidatures received for the post of Director-General immediately after the close of the nomination period, in this case 8 November 2024.
“I would like to advise members that at the end of the nomination period, the only candidacy received for this post is from Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the incumbent director-general
“The notification received from Dr Okonjo-Iweala pursuant to paragraph 12 of the Procedures in WT/L/509, was circulated to all Members together with my communication in document JOB/GC/406, dated 16 September 2024,” the statement reads.
The Geneva-based WTO further maintained that it would be providing periodic updates that would guide the entire nomination protocols going forward.
The WTO also disclosed that Okonjo-Iweala’s ongoing term as DG runs out on August 31, 2025. Recall that she was first appointed as the lead of the body on February 15, 2021.
