Rabat – King Mohammed VI. Congratulations to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala after her appointment as Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The king sent a message of congratulations to Okonjo-Iweala after she became the first woman and the first African to lead the organization.
In the embassy, King Mohammed VI congratulated. To the Nigerian economist, to the undivided trust of the WTO member states.
The King said the organization’s confidence in Okonjo-Iweala was a recognition of its proven management skills and high level of professionalism in the various leadership positions it held both on the world stage and in Nigeria.
In the congratulatory message, King Okonjo-Iweala wished her and the WTO every success when she and the WTO embark on a particularly challenging mission after the global pandemic and the crises that went with it.
The Moroccan monarch also said he was convinced that Okonjo-Iweala’s “recognized expertise and expertise” would “give a strong impetus to WTO action and help achieve its goals”.
In his message, the King also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to the WTO. He said the North African country will continue to support the organization’s programs to weather the COVID-19 winds and achieve fair trade and sustainable development in the world and Africa.
New WTO leader in brief
Okonjo-Iweala, a distinguished Nigerian economist, rose to the highest office in the WTO after receiving the votes of all 164 member countries’ representatives.
US President Joe Biden also sponsored their offer.
This is not the first time the 66-year-old Nigerian woman has smashed the glass ceiling to become the “first woman” in a leadership position.
Nigeria named her the first woman to serve as both the country’s finance minister in 2003 and foreign minister in 2006.
She was also the first woman to run for the presidency of the World Bank, where she spent nearly a quarter of a century in other senior positions.
The new head of the WTO has a degree from Harvard University, where she graduated in 1976.
She received her PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After her confirmation as WTO head, the African leader vowed to strengthen the WTO and its efforts to get world trade going again.
“My vision is also a rejuvenated and strengthened WTO that will be confident of addressing ongoing issues effectively,” she said.
During a hearing in July 2020, she told WTO members: “It is clear that a rules-based system without a forum, in which a violation of the rules can be effectively conveyed, loses credibility over time.”
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