WTO D.G: Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala makes the last list

WTO D.G: Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala makes the last listNigeria’s candidate in the race for the World Trade Organization (WTO) top job, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Wednesday moved closer to victory as she was selected among the two candidates on the final list.On Wednesday, October 7, WTO selected two final candidates: Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala’s and South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee to advance to the final round in the race to lead the Geneva-based trade body.The screening Committee said other candidates dropped have given their support to the two to contest in the final election.Going by the support for Okonjo-Iweala, the WTO will likely have the first female director-general in its 25-year history.Okonjo-Iweala had served as Nigeria’s finance minister; and also one term as foreign affairs minister.She has experience working at international governance bodies as a former managing director of the World Bank and as a chairman at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.Yoo is South Korea’s trade minister. The report expressed that dburing Okonjo-Iweala’s 25-year career in government; she has helped expand her country’s trade network through bilateral accords with the U.S., China, and the U.K.WTO General Council Chairman, David Walker formally announced the results to the institution’s delegates yesterday (Thursday) morning in Geneva.The United Kingdom’s Liam Fox; also Kenya’s Amina Chawahir Mohamed Jibril; as well as Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Maziad Al-Tuwaijri did not secure enough support in the second round of consultations, according to the committee.The third and final phase of the consultation process will begin later this month; and also run until Nov. 6, after which the WTO will endeavor to name a consensus winner of the race.Clouding the outlook for the selection process is the U.S. presidential election Nov. 3. The WTO makes decisions on a consensus basis; as well as a lack of American support for any of the finalists could mean delays in picking the new director-general.If WTO members are unable to select a leader by consensus; a vote requiring a qualified majority could be held as a last resort; which would be an unprecedented development for the organization.