Okonjo-Iweala re-appointed as WTO DG
Abdullateef Fowewe
The first woman and the first African to hold the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially secured her re-election for a second term.
Recall that Okonjo-Iweala announced her intention to seek re-election in September, and the General Council of the WTO confirmed her reappointment after the nomination deadline on November 8, passed with no competing candidates.
Her current term, which began in March 2021, is set to end in August 2025.
Her re-election was confirmed in a terse statement via the X (formally Twitter) handle of the WTO on Friday.
The statement reads, “The General Council has appointed Director-General #NOIweala for a second term, effective 1 September 2025. More details to follow.”
The reappointment, made by consensus among the WTO’s 166 member countries, follows Okonjo-Iweala’s successful navigation of the selection process despite initial challenges.
