Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially announced her intention to seek a second four-year term as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Okay.ng reports.
The announcement was confirmed on Monday, September 16, 2024, by WTO spokesperson Ismaila Dieng.
“We can confirm that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially announced her intention to seek a second term as Director-General of the WTO,” Dieng said in a statement.
Okonjo-Iweala, who made history as the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, will pursue a second term when her current mandate expires in August 2025.
Her decision was officially communicated to WTO chair and Norwegian Ambassador Petter Olberg.
According to Dieng, Okonjo-Iweala considered the overwhelming and broad-based support expressed by WTO members.
The organization’s African Group formally requested that she make herself available for a second term and proposed that the re-nomination process begin as soon as possible.
As of now, no other candidates have come forward to challenge her for the position.
Okonjo-Iweala took over the helm of the WTO in March 2021, bringing with her a wealth of experience from previous roles.
She was the first Nigerian woman to serve two terms as Finance Minister, initially under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2006, and later under President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015.
She also briefly served as Nigeria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006.
Her tenure at the WTO has been marked by efforts to reform the organization and address global trade challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2005, she was named Global Finance Minister of the Year by Euromoney magazine
