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The appointment of Nigeria’s former finance minister to head the World Trade Organization (WTO) has come into question after the United States opposed the move.
On Wednesday, a WTO nominating committee recommended that the 164 members of the group nominate Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
She would be the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO.
But the United States, critical of the WTO’s handling of world trade, wants another woman, Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea, to say she could reform the body.
Okonjo-Iweala said she was “immensely honored” to be nominated.
But the four-month selection process to find the next WTO director-general hit a snag when Washington said it would continue to back South Korea’s trade minister.
In a critical WTO statement, the Office of the US Trade Representative, which advises President Donald Trump on trade policy, said the organization “must be led by someone with real, practical experience in the field.”
Ms. Yoo had “distinguished herself” as a business expert and “has all the necessary skills to be an effective organization leader,” the statement said.
He added: “This is a very difficult time for the WTO and international trade. There have been no multilateral tariff negotiations in 25 years, the dispute settlement system has gotten out of hand and very few members comply with basic transparency obligations. urgently needs a major overhaul. “
The statement did not mention Ms. Okonjo-Iweala.
Earlier on Wednesday, after a meeting of WTO delegates to discuss the appointment, spokesman Keith Rockwell said only one member country did not support Okonjo-Iweala.
“All the delegations that expressed their opinions today expressed very strong support for the process … for the result. Except for one,” he said.
‘Frenzied activity’
Trump has described the WTO as “horrible” and biased toward China, and some appointments to key positions in the organization have already been blocked.
The WTO has called a meeting for November 9, after the US presidential elections, to discuss the issue. America’s opposition does not mean that the Nigerian cannot be appointed, but Washington could nonetheless exert considerable influence over the final decision.
Mr. Rockwell told reporters that there is likely to be “frenzied activity” to secure a consensus for Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment. It has the support of the European Union.
The leadership vacuum was created after outgoing WTO President Roberto Azevedo resigned for a year in early August. Currently, the WTO is led by four deputies.
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, served as her country’s Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs and Finance and has a 25-year career behind her as a development economist at the World Bank.
She also serves on Twitter’s board of directors, as president of the GAVI vaccine alliance, and as a special envoy for the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 fight.
If Ms. Okonjo-Iweala is finally appointed, she will have a full inbox. The WTO is already grappling with stalled trade talks and tensions between the United States and China.
Earlier this month, she said her extensive experience advocating for reforms made her the right person to help get the WTO back on track. “I am a candidate for reform and I believe that the WTO needs the credentials and skills of reform now.
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