Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), officially announced her candidacy for a second term on Monday, September 16.
The former Nigerian finance minister expressed her desire to continue addressing “unfinished business” from her first term.
She said, “I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story, and I stand ready to compete for the position,” Okonjo-Iweala said, citing a letter she plans to send to the trade body’s main decision-making body.
“For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering,” she added, mentioning that among her priorities are addressing “unfinished business.”
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s current term is set to end on August 31, 2025. Some analysts suggest that her early announcement is a strategic move to secure her reappointment before the upcoming U.S. presidential elections in November.
Forging a strong partnership with Interpeace, through the Trade for Peace program to support conflict affected members or acceding members to use trade as a means of spurring economic development and promoting peace. Thanks to @InterpeaceTweet for their work on supporting… pic.twitter.com/kCTQjCTO8q
— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) September 17, 2024