WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has confirmed her intent to seek another four-year term as the head of the World Trade Organization, following a push led by African nations to expedite the process.
Okonjo-Iweala, 70, who became the first woman and African to lead the WTO in 2021, expressed her desire to address “unfinished business” from her first term, including finalizing deals on fisheries subsidies and global agriculture, reforming the disputes system, and advancing trade decarbonization.
Although the official deadline to apply is November, efforts to secure her second term began in July, backed by many nations.
Under WTO’s consensus rules, Okonjo-Iweala could secure a second term if no other candidates come forward and all member states agree to her reappointment.
In 2020, her appointment was blocked by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which had previously criticized the organization.
However, she gained U.S. support after Joe Biden became president in 2021.
When asked about the possibility of Trump’s return to power affecting her and the WTO’s success, she responded, “I don’t focus on that because I have no control.”
EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TASK
As one of the few WTO leaders to secure significant global trade deals, Okonjo-Iweala achieved the first part of a global treaty on cutting fishing subsidies in 2022.
However, a high-level meeting earlier this year produced limited results, including the accession of two new members and a temporary extension of a digital tariff freeze.
Further agreements, like the follow-up on fishing subsidies, have faced obstacles, with India notably blocking progress.
Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged that leading the WTO is challenging, particularly due to geopolitical tensions among its 166 members. “It is tough, you know, very tough. There’s no getting away from that.
But it’s also a job that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning,” she stated.
Since the Trump administration blocked appointments to the WTO’s top adjudication court in December 2019, the organization has struggled to enforce rules effectively.
Under Biden, the policy has persisted, but Washington is considering reforms that might eventually restore some form of dispute review system.
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