The mineral rich Continent of Africa has long been the guinea pea in the world’s commercial conundrum, producing what it does not tag and positioned on the backrow of commercial policy decision making. The Continent’s advocacy against the disequilibrium in the world marketplace, superintended by the World Trade Organization (WTO), has come a long way and the desired result remains scanty. With the opening for its top post, the WTO appears lending itself to the ears of Africans pleading for equal opportunity and rights. The heat is bellowing in the process of finding the next Director General, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) thinks one of their kinds is a perfect fit and chance to raise Africa’s voice on the world stage. The stoplight falls on Nigeria’s Dr. Okonjo-Iwealo, as The Analyst reports.
Member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have rallied themselves behind the candidacy of former Liberian Finance Minister for Director General of the World Trade Organization.
Since the creation of the TAKES INTO ACCOUNT that since the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO)on 1 January 1995, which is a successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established on 1 January 1948, no African has assumed the position of Director-General of the Organization.
The Chairman of the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced the commencement of a process to the appointment of a new Director General of WTO, with the opening and closing dates of nominations at 8 June 2020 respectively;
African nations have been fighting to equal space and equal voice in the world marketplace, often denouncing bigger market’s heavy hand in deciding major decisions in international trade and commerce.
In resolution, ECOWAS indicated that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has a strong academic and professional background with her very large experience in national affairs as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister briefly in 2006.
So far, no African has assumed the position of Director-General of the Organization since the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 1 January 1995, which is a successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established on 1 January 1948.
If the ECOWAS candidate wins, she will serve the position of Director-General of WTO for the period 2021 – 2025.
The West African economic bloc acknowledged Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’ long years of managerial experience at the top echelons of multilateral institutions, her established reputation as a fearless reformer and her excellent negotiating and political skills, her experience of over 30 years as a Development Economist with a long standing interest in trade.
She has excellent academic qualifications, as Managing Director World Bank, and currently as Boad Chair Gavi, and African Union Special Envoy to Mobilize Financial Resources for the fight against COVID-19.
The regional bloc has therefore called on other African Countries as well as non-African Countries to endorse her candidature.
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