Nigeria’s Okonjo Iweala is coasting home to victory in the race to become the director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). As at the last count, the 27-member-Eurorpean Union (EU) countries have endorsed her candidacy for the plum job, thereby defeating the candidate of South Korea, Yoo Myung-hee. The two ladies are now the remaining candidates competing for the job.
Her victory which will be finally announced in November will make her the first African and first female director-general of the world trade body. The 27-member-states of the EU include France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
For now, she has 106 supporting countries out of a total of 164 states that make up the World Trade Organisation. There are only 58 countries left to throw in the towel for Okonjo Iweala. Even at that her opponent cannot defeat her any more. Prior to the endorsement by the EU countries, African Union 55-member countries had earlier endorsed Iweala for the job. This was despite Kenya and Egypt candidates for the job, though have removed.
The former Nigerian finance minister had also won the goodwill of many Caribbean and Pacific states and the Asian countries. According to AFP, the EU countries formally announced their support for Iweala on Monday, October 26, 2020. Out of the two women, who are left in the race, the winner will replace Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo as director-general of the 25-year-old WTO.
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