For the first time in its 25-year history, the World Trade Organization will be led by a woman.
The international trade agency announced on Thursday, October 8 that South Korea’s trade minister and former Nigerian finance minister have qualified as the two finalists to become the next director-general.
The WTO will appoint its first-ever woman director-general as the shortlist narrows to South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.More @economics: https://t.co/wpP3xQRHt0 pic.twitter.com/ziOQm5rODF
— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) October 8, 2020
It is significant to note that previous director-general Roberto Azevedo reportedly faced intense pressure from the US Government repeatedly accusing WTO of unfair treatment. He had to leave a year earlier due to continuous pressure. He made a surprise announcement to leave the job a year early, citing a ‘personal decision’ and left without a successor on August 31.
These are the candidates moving on for members’ further consideration. The result creates an historic precedent for the WTO: the 7th Director-General will become the first woman to lead the Organization. Consultations resume on 19 Oct #WTODGFind out more: https://t.co/q4pHXjEl2z pic.twitter.com/l4viBOncSk
— WTO (@wto) October 8, 2020
A selection committee stated that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea had qualified for the final round which is expected to end in the coming weeks. They were picked out of a list of five candidates.
‘Both of the women that are in the final round are remarkably well qualified. This is something on which everyone has agreed,’ said WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell, reported Economic Times.
‘We’ve been impressed with them from the very beginning,’ he added.
Deeply grateful and honoured to be selected for the final round in the selection process of the next @WTO Director General!’ tweeted Yoo, who has a law degree from Vanderbilt University.
Deeply grateful and honored to be selected for the final round in the selection process of the next @WTO Director General!We need a capable & experienced new leader who can rebuild trust and restore relevance of the @WTO. I look forward to your continued support! Thank you!!! https://t.co/Gz94jTzgzB
— Yoo Myung-hee (@YooMyunghee1) October 8, 2020
‘We need a capable & experienced new leader who can rebuild trust and restore the relevance of the @WTO. I look forward to your continued support! Thank you!!!’ Okonjo-Iweala on Twitter thanked WTO members for their support and wrote that she was ‘happy to be in the final round.’
Happy to be in the final round of the @wto DG campaign. Thanks, WTO members for your continued support of my candidacy. I could not have made it without the prayers and support of all Nigerians and friends around the world. Thank you @MBuhari and all my friends. Aluta continua!
— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) October 8, 2020
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