How Buhari Nominated Okonjo Iweala As WTO DG

The nomination of a former minister of finance in Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director General of the Works Trade Organization by President Muhammadu Buhari has been applauded by many Nigerians.

The nomination was said to have been well articulated and planned by the Nigerian government via a letter with reference number 146/2020 dated 4th June, 2020.

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Permanent Mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) had addressed a letter to all the Embassies and Permanent Missions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

It was stated in the letter that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweaka to replace Ambassador AGAH, as Nigeria’s Candidate for the position of Director General of World Trade Organization (WTO) for the 2021-2025 at the elections scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021.

“Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA, a renowned global finance expert, is an economist and international professional with over 30 years of experience, having worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA is presently the Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

“Since it’s creation in 2000, Gavi has immunized over 760 million children across the globe. She also sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC. and Twitter Inc. She was recently appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy for the World Health Organisation’s Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator,” the letter read.

It was added that Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister from 2003-2006, 2011- 2015 and briefly as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions.

According to the letter; “she had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development-economist, rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director (Operations). As Finance Minister, Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA steered Nigeria through varying degree of reforms, particularly on macroeconomic, trade, financial and real sector issues.

“As Managing Director (Operations) at the World Bank, her several portfolios included oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia.

“Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 crisis in the trying period of the global financial crisis.

“In 2010, she served as Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 Billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world.”

It was stated further that “Nigeria is therefore pleased to request the support of esteemed AU Member-States as well as Permanent Missions and Embassies in Addis Ababa, in favour of the candidacy of Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA. A copy of Dr. OKONJO-IWEALA’s resume/biography is attached herewith for ease of reference.”