WTO: ECOWAS Approves Okonjo-Iweala’s Nomination

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the choice of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Naija News Understands that the approval was given by Mahamadou Issoufou, ECOWAS president via a press statement.

Issoufou who was happy about the nomination called on other African countries to back Okonjo-Iweala. Issoufou also described Okonjo-Iweala as a “fearless reformer”.

the statement reads

The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government takes note of the communication by the Chairman of the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) announcing the commencement of a process for the appointment of a new Director-General of VVTO, with the opening and closing dates of nominations set as 8 June and 8 July 2020 respectively,”

“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,