WTO DG race ends with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has cleared the path for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the World Trade Organisation after withdrawing from the Director-General race, Bloomberg reports.
As the only remaining candidate in the DG race the WTO is on course to approve Okonjo’s appointment.
Following her discussions with the U.S. and other major nations, as well as a reflection on various issues, Yoo’s took a decision to withdraw.
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The WTO was expected to have ended its DG selection process in November 2020. However, oppositions to Okonjo by Trump’s administration put it on hold which was useful in bypassing the exertion of a major WTO decision without the consent of all members.
If all 162 WTO members join a consensus to appoint Okonjo-Iweala, a confirmation of her appointment can ensue within days.
With the new U.S government, dozens of former officials urged President Joe Biden to endorse Okonjo-Iweala. This would leave South Korea as the only nation favouring Yoo.
Yoo’s withdrawal would appear to be clearing Okonjo-Iweala’s path to secure the leadership of the Geneva-based institution.
So far, few clues have emerged publicly about whether Biden’s administration will lift U.S. opposition to Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy.
According to Bloomberg, it is yet to get a comment from the the U.S. mission at WTO headquarters.