Endorse Okonjo-Iweala As DG, FG Begs WTO Members

The Federal Government of Nigeria has appealed to members of the world trade organisation to endorse Nigeria’s nomination, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in her aspiration for the position of Director-General .

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum, made this call in a statement on Thursday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Katagum, who is also the Chairperson of the Okonjo-Iweala Campaign Team, described her as “the best choice for the job”.

She commended the Economic Community of West African States and the European Union for backing the Nigerian candidate.
The minister said, “These are excellent testimonies of her eminent qualification for the top job. The WTO as of today needs a DG with multiple skills to revive the challenged spirit of trade liberalisation worldwide.

“The WTO faces a lot of problems currently, and confronting these challenges necessarily requires building trust among the membership especially as the problems are not solely of a technical nature.

“Only a DG with the requisite political and negotiating skills coupled with multilateral experience can ensure deep engagement of the Members in order to restore trust and build a truly efficient organisation.

“Dr Iweala’s qualities and experience in managing multilateral issues, in trade facilitation and negotiation as well as brokering deals and agreements with high political stakes, put her in good standing.”