By Hamilton Nwosa( Head, The New Diplomat’s Polling, Research & Data desk)
Many eminent erstwhile top government officials of the United States have pleaded with incumbent US President Joe Biden to quickly back the broad consensus-support already being enjoyed by former Nigeria’s minister of finance and a former managing director of the World Bank, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the WTO.
In a letter addressed to Biden by many former top officials of the US government, they contended that given Okonjo-Iweala’s sterling credentials and her broad endorsement for the WTO DG role, it would be expedient, logical and natural for Biden to throw weight behind her bid to lead the World Trade Organization after the Trump administration had blocked her selection as the chosen candidate by the Ambassador Walker-led WTO troika team.
Among those who signed the letter, include former World Bank Chief Economist Joseph Stiglitz and a former United Nations envoy, John Negroponte. Bloomberg which reported this latest move quoted AllAfrica.com as the original site where the content of the letter was first posted.
According to eminent economist and Nobel Prize winner in Economics, Stiglitz and Ambassador Negroponte who endorsed the letter, Okonjo-Iweala “is a dynamic leader who has the vision to manage the Geneva-based trade body through an era of reform.”
The letter added: “Okonjo-Iweala is a uniquely qualified leader poised to help the WTO evolve and succeed for future generations…She is a leader who can also be relied on to pay due attention to the concerns many Americans have about global trade. She has what it takes to lead WTO reforms and take the organization into the future.”
It would be recalled that Okonjo-Iweala, a Harvard educated economist with specialization in international finance first served in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later that of former President Goodluck Jonathan. She was at various times, Finance Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and later Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating minister for the Economy.
Okonjo-Iweala had emerged late last year as the consensus choice who enjoyed the broad and overwhelming support of member states of the WTO for the director-general of WTO position. However, in a curious move, her selection by the WTO selection panel led by New Zealand’s Ambassador Walker was blocked in October by the United States. The US was the only country that vetoed her selection, which threw the whole process into a standstill.
According to the WTO protocols, a consensus of the 164 member nations or states is crucial as it constitutes a pre-condition for the selection of WTO director-general. The implication of this in diplomatic circles is that one country could stall the whole process especially if she is considered as a powerful nation not only among the voting power blocs but within the intricate global diplomatic dynamics.
Recall also that Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Representative during the Trump administration, had openly opposed Okonjo-Iweala’s bid. The US under Trump went ahead to support, South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, with Lighthizer reportedly saying that Okonjo-Iweala has no experience in trade hence the US under Trump opted to support Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea for the WTO director-general role.
