Nigeria’s former minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala looks good to emerging the first female director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the South Korean candidate Yoo Myung-hee withdrew from the race yesterday
Washington Trade Daily quoted sources as saying that South Korea had notified the United States government of its decision and would make the decision public in the days ahead.
The implication of the decision is that Okonjo-Iweala now stands a better chance of being announced as the director general of the global trade organisation.
“Washington refused to accept the recommendation of the selection panel headed by general council chair, Ambassador David Walker that Okonjo-Iweala is the most likely candidate of the two to attract consensus.
“This is because she had the largest support of members of the panel at the final round and clearly enjoyed broad support from members from all levels and geographic regions and had done so throughout the process,” it stated.
The report added that Myung-hee could not garner enough support from members of all levels of development; the developed, developing and least developing countries, as well as geographically compared to the ‘largest’ support received by Okonjo-Iweala.
It would be recalled that Myung-hee and Okonjo-Iweala were the two female finalists for the job.
After the October 28 meeting, the WTO also said Okonjo-Iweala had the best chance of emerging as the consensus candidate.
The November 8, 2020 general council meeting scheduled to consider the appointment was also postponed and another scheduled for December 17, 2020.
