The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed on November 29 by consensus to reappoint Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General for a second four-year term, set to begin on September 1, 2025. The decision reflects broad recognition of her exceptional leadership and strategic vision for the future of the WTO. The reappointment process, initiated on October 8, 2024, was overseen by Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council, With no additional nominations submitted by the November 8 deadline, Okonjo-Iweala stood as the sole candidate. According to the WTO, the process was conducted in a fully open and transparent manner, adhering to the WTO’s “Procedures for the Appointment of Directors-General.” During a special General Council meeting on November 28-29, 2024, Okonjo-Iweala outlined her vision for the organisation. “So much more is at stake now. The Multilateral Trading System, and the WTO within it, has never been under as much intense questioning and scrutiny as it is now,” she said while laying out her vision. “There is absolutely no room for complacency. We need to deliver results! We cannot afford obfuscations, statements, and stalemates. We have to be seen to be reforming ourselves,” she added. The director general said in her statement that she plans to prioritize negotiations of the Investment Facilitation Agreement and the Fisheries Subsidies, as well as the revival of the dispute settlement system, among other things. Also read: Ngozi Okonjo-iweala confirmed as sole WTO director general candidate Following her presentation and a Q&A session with members, the Council formally endorsed her reappointment by consensus. Ambassador Ølberg praised her achievements, stating: The General Council commends Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her outstanding leadership during her first term.” Ambassador Ølberg said that amid significant global economic challenges, Okonjo-Iweala strengthened the WTO’s ability to support its members and set a forward-looking agenda for the organization. “Her leadership was instrumental in securing meaningful outcomes at pivotal moments, including the 12th and 13th Ministerial Conferences (MC12 and MC13), where major milestones were achieved,” he said. Also read: What chance does Africa stand to lead the WTO? Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister and World Bank Managing Director, made history by becoming the first woman and African to lead the organisation when members appointed her in March 2021 in a race that was tight. In 2021, Okonjo-Iweala outcompeted all African candidates – Egypt’s Abdel Hamid Mamdouh and Kenya’s Amina Mohamed – thanks to her stellar career at the World Bank and other global leadership positions, which convinced many of her supporters then that her experience matched perfectly the demand of the top position.
