Okonjo-Iweala a step closer to WTO top job

Former Finance Minister of Nigeria, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala made the final shortlist of candidate for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Bloomberg, however, reports the WTO members evicted three candidates from the race to be the next DG of the body.

The Geneva-based WTO said Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, Mexico’s Jesus Seade and Moldova’s Tudor Ulianovschi did not secure enough support in the first of three rounds of voting.

“Their expertise and high professional and personal qualities are highly valued and respected by all members,” WTO General Council Chairman, David Walker, said in a statement on Friday.

However, the second phase of consultations would start on September 24 to October 6 after which the WTO would release two final candidates.

The goal was to name a new WTO leader by November 7, 2020.

Okonjo-Iweala is left in the race alongside Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Maziad Al-Tuwaijri, UK’s Liam Fox, South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee and Kenya’s Amina Chawahir Mohamed Jibril.

Daily Post said in July, Okonjo-Iweala made a presentation to the WTO General Council.