Biden wonderful for endorsing by candidacy – Okonjo-Iweala
Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says it was “absolutely wonderful” for Joe Biden administration to join the consensus and endorse her candidacy for Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
She, however, expressed surprise that the Donald Trump administration blocked her candidacy despite her good relations with the administration which interviewed her for the job twice.
Okonjo-Iweala said this in an interview shortly after her confirmation as the Director-General of WTO, on Monday.
After163 member countries had elected Okonjo-Iweala in October 2020, the US under Trump was critical of WTO’s handling of global trade, saying her main challenger South Korean Trade Minister and candidate, Yoo Myung-hee, was a better candidate for the job.
The U. S government under Biden, however, last week announced its endorsement of Okonjo-Iweala for the WTO top job. This came after Yoo Myung-hee announced her withdrawal.
