Twenty-seven EU member states have approved former Nigerian Finance Minister Okonjo iweala to become the first African and first female director of the World Trade Organization.
France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Poland.
The latest support for iweala candidacy has expanded the number of countries officially supporting 106 people in 164 states, including the WTO.
Fifty-five members of the African Union have previously backed the recognition of former World Bank director Yu Myung-hee, South Korea’s only rival. Okonjo has won the hearts of others from the Caribbean and Pacific states and Asia.
According to the AFP news agency, when the EU member states convened a meeting on Monday, they failed to reach a consensus on the election, but EU representatives reconvened and agreed to withdraw Iweala. In the WTO, she said she had a good experience. Parliament later wrote a letter to the European Union in support of the Nigerian candidate.
The WTO’s consultation process ends today and the name of the new leader is expected in November, but the European Union (EU) said today it would publicly announce its support for the 66 – year – old economist.
The winner between the two women will eventually be replaced by Roberto Acivedo of Brazil and the 25 – year – old former director general of the commercial firm.
The initial pool of eight candidates for the WTO’s top post was reduced to two rounds, including three Africans from Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya.
The need to form a consensus around the candidate for the third and final consultation will take place by the end of November, with an announcement today.
If confirmed, they will join the World Trade Organization at the most difficult time, the deepest post-corona virus recession battling the world and the crisis of confidence in free trade and globalization. A trade war is raging between the US, China and the EU’s anchor economy, with the G7 member leaving the UK later this year.
US President Donald Trump is fighting hard for reorganization early next month, but under his leadership, Washington has severed ties with the WTO.
His administration called for a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that violates US tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods.
Generally, appeals submitted to the World Trade Organization Appellate Body have three months to be considered. The appellate body of the World Trade Organization – known as the Supreme Court – met in the U.S. last December. The process has been complicated by the failure to appoint new judges to the panel.