Okonjo-Iweala sole candidate for WTO’s top job

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has emerged as the sole candidate for the position in next year’s election.

Okonjo-Iweala, who assumed office as head of the 166-member agency in 2021, will complete her four-year term on August 31, 2025.

The Nigerian is the first woman and African to lead the world’s largest international economic organisation.

The WTO confirmed her nomination in a statement on Saturday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The organisation said Okonjo-Iweala has agreed to a second term for its top job.

READ ALSO: Okonjo-Iweala to vie for second term as WTO DG

The statement read: “Nominations for Director-General closed; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala confirmed as sole candidate.

“Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council, informed WTO members on 9 November that no further nominations for the position of Director-General had been received by the deadline of 8 November and that the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is therefore the only candidate for the role.

“Director-General Okonjo-Iweala confirmed her willingness to serve a second four-year term in the role in a letter to the Chair on 16 September. On 8 October, the WTO formally commenced the process for appointing its next Director-General, with members given until 8 November to submit nominations.”

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