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Emma Emeozor with Agency Report
The candidature of Nigeria’s former Finance Minister and erstwhile Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) yesterday, received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS).
This came as the Kenyan candidate, Amina Mohamed had earlier announced she was stepping down for Okonjo-Iweala, with the ECOWAS states launching a massive campaign for her to emerge Africa’s only candidate.
“The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government…calls on other African countries as well as non-African countries to endorse her candidature,” the document, signed by Niger’s President and ECOWAS chairman Mahamadou Issoufou said.
ECOWAS’ document of endorsement of the former minister was dated June 19 but was made public yesterday. The African Union (AU) was due to officially endorse one of three pre-selected candidates from Benin, Egypt and Nigeria.
But the process was disrupted by COVID-19 measures and Nigeria swapped its candidate this month, prompting Egypt to protest to the AU, sources following the process said. Africa has previously struggled to unite behind one WTO candidate and this time has so far been no different.
Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo is stepping down as WTO head a year early at the end of August.
His successor will need to steer reforms and negotiations in the face of rising protectionism, a deep recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and growing trade tensions, notably between the United States and China.
There is broad support for an African candidate and a woman, since neither have headed the Geneva-based body in the past, sources following the process said. Supporters of Okonjo-Iweala, vaunt her negotiating skills, including clinching a multi-billion dollar debt relief package for Nigeria.
Okonjo-Iweala’s spokeswoman said: “Dr. Ngozi’s goal is to earn the support of all African countries, and she’s humbled by the support she’s already received. There is time for most if not all of Africa to unite behind one candidate.”
