Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Nigeria’s ex-Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s landmark achievement being confirmed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as its Director-General, a series of security meetings to deescalate violence across the country, and Nigeria’s continued hunt for COVID-19 vaccines.
She becomes the first African and first woman to hold the WTO top job. Nigerians took to Twitter late Monday to congratulate her.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said she was “honoured” to have been selected and was determined to make the WTO stronger as the world economy struggles to recover from a slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
President Muhammadu Buhari said he was confident she will excel in her new position. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and many others also had good things to say about the former World Bank Executive.
“As the world prepares to emerge from the global pandemic of COVID-19, the planet needs a steady hand at the wheel, to drive global trade, and rebuild from the devastation wrought by the virus,” Atiku Abubakar said. “We would not need someone who thinks they can pull this off. We would need someone who has actually and serially pulled it off before. And that person has emerged.”
Professor Ken Ife, a Development Economist said Dr Okonjo-Iweala is an institution builder and that Africa is going to benefit from her selection.
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