Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), will seek re-election for a second four-year term, buoyed by a broad Africa-led initiative to start the process early.
This move aims to address “unfinished business” from her first term, which began in 2021 when she made history as the first female and African head of the 30-year-old trade body.
In an interview with Reuters on Monday, Okonjo-Iweala, 70, expressed her readiness to compete for the position, stating, “I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story, and I stand ready to compete for the position.”
She outlined her priorities for a second term, including finalizing a deal to end fisheries subsidies, advancing global agriculture negotiations, reforming the WTO’s dispute resolution system, and promoting trade decarbonization.
Though Okonjo-Iweala has until the end of November to formally announce her candidacy, the early push led by African nations and supported by numerous countries is partly seen as a strategy to secure her reappointment before the November U.S. elections.
Under WTO consensus rules, her re-election is possible if no other candidates emerge and all member states agree.
The Trump administration blocked her initial appointment in 2020, which had described the WTO as “horrible.”
However, she gained U.S. backing after President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
When asked about the potential impact of a future Trump administration on her role, Okonjo-Iweala remarked, “I don’t focus on that because I have no control over it.”
Despite securing significant global trade deals, including the first part of a treaty on cutting fishing subsidies in 2022, Okonjo-Iweala has faced formidable challenges.
Recent high-level meetings have yielded modest results, including the accession of two new members and a temporary agreement to defer digital tariffs. However, there is a clear need for more substantial progress.
Individual members such as India have blocked some agreements, notably a follow-up on fishing subsidies.
Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged the difficulties of her role, citing geopolitical tensions among the WTO’s 166 members as a significant challenge. “It is tough, you know, very tough.
There’s no getting away from that. But it’s also a job that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning,” she said.
Since December 2019, when the Trump administration blocked appointments to the WTO’s appellate body, the organization has struggled to address rule violations.
This policy has continued under Biden, though there are ongoing discussions about potential reforms to revive some form of dispute review system.
