Search
Make wrtv.com your home page

Okonjo-Iweala is 1st woman, African to lead world trade body

FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 24, 2014 file photo, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during a panel discussion "The Post-2015 Goals: Inspiring a New Generation to Act", the fifth annual Associated Press debate, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Monday, Feb. 15, 2021 to head the World Trade Organization as it seeks to to resolve disagreements over how it decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs. Okonjo-Iweala was appointed as director-general of the leading international trade body by representatives of the 164 member countries, according to a statement from the body. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file)
by: WRTV Staff
Posted: / Updated:

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The 164 countries of the World Trade Organization on Monday approved Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the body’s new head.

She is the first woman and the first African to lead the Geneva-based organization.

Okonjo-Iweala said her first priority would be ways to combat COVID-19, which includes lifting export restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines and supplies in many countries, The Associated Press reported.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration endorsed her after the Trump administration had opposed her.

Supporting her is part of Biden’s vow to re-engage in multilateral organizations instead of Trump’s “America first” approach.

But there are still thorny disputes to resolve.

That’s especially true when it comes to the WTO’s appeals process, where the U.S. has said the WTO unduly restricts U.S. trade measures against other countries perceived to be engaging in unfair trade.

Okonjo-Iweala will take on her new role on March 1.

WRTV.com Trending Stories