World Trade Organisation (WTO) has confirmed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as sole candidate for director-general.
Gatekeepers News reports that the organisation in a statement released on Saturday said Okonjo-Iweala confirmed her willingness to serve a second term on September 16.
WTO formally began the process to appoint its next director-general on October 8 and ended submission of nominees on November 8.
In a message to its members, Petter Olberg, chairman of WTO’s general council, announced that no additional nominations were received by the submission deadline.
The statement goes, “Under the procedures for the appointment of Directors-General (WT/L/509), I am required to communicate to Members a consolidated list of candidatures received for the post of Director-General immediately after the close of the nomination period, in this case 8 November 2024.”
“I would like to advise members that at the end of the nomination period the only candidacy received for this post is from Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the incumbent director-general.”
“The notification received from Dr Okonjo-Iweala pursuant to paragraph 12 of the Procedures in WT/L/509, was circulated to all Members together with my communication in document JOB/GC/406, dated 16 September 2024.”
WTO noted that the general council chairman would communicate the next steps in the process soon.
It noted that Okonjo-Iweala’s current term will come to an end on August 31, 2025.
Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and first African to lead WTO.
