The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has backed Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the post of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General.
In a statement by ECOWAS dated June 19, 2020, and shared by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyema on Twitter, the regional body said it took the decision based on the authority of the Heads of State and Government of its member-nations.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Some Big Businessmen Are Hoarding Foodstuff, Says Agric Minister
The statement signed by the President of ECOWAS, Mahamadou Issoufou, comes as a big boost to Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy after the African Union (AU) had last week rejected her nomination.
According to the ECOWAS leader, the body’s endorsement of Okonjo-Iweala also followed the information it got from chairman of the General Council of the WTO informing the regional body of her nomination alongside four others for the role.
ECOWAS said it also took the decision having “acknowledged the strong academic and professional background of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and her very large experience in national affairs as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006) and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister briefly in 2006.”
The statement added that since the inception of the WTO, no African has worked as the DG of the body, making the endorsement more appropriate.
Issoufou, therefore, called on other African and non-African countries to back the former World Bank Managing Director’s candidacy, saying Africa needs a strong representative in the WTO election.
See the statement on Okonjo-Iweala’s endorsement below:
Okonjo-Iweala also took to her official Twitter handle to thank ECOWAS for backing her candidacy for the WTO top job.
“A big thank you to the Economic Community of West African States for supporting my candidacy for DG WTO,” she said.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on June 5th, 2020, nominated her as Nigeria’s candidate for the job.
A rattled-looking Medvedev finally held in the sixth game, but Sinner served out to love…
It's too early to say where "Cowboy Carter" and its voluminous tracklist will land on…
On Easter Sunday, the pontiff normally holds a mass and his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing…
Government agents could be seen surrounding the house in the Surquillo District of the capital…
The bridge has been partially closed to traffic in the last seven weeks.
Authorities have evacuated the centre of the town of Ede since early morning, after several…