Taif represents Saudi Arabia at UNESCO Creative Cities literature network meeting in Slovenia    Saudi Arabia joins global initiative to strengthen independence of supreme audit institutions    Saudi Arabia graduates 3,948 security personnel after completing training in Riyadh and Makkah    Government launches platform to offer residential land in Riyadh at SR1,500 per sqm    GCC–Russia Ministerial Meeting condemns Israeli aggression against Qatar    Belarus pardons scores of prisoners 'at the request' of Trump, Lukashenko says    Ryan Routh cut off by judge as trial over attempted Trump assassination begins    South Korea workers detained in US raid head home    Summer 2025 sees 32 million tourists in Saudi Arabia with over SR53 billion spending    Al-Futtaim BYD KSA hosts first Super Hybrid Tech Day in Saudi Arabia First event of its kind in the region showcases breakthrough super hybrid technology    Saudi Industrial Production Index rises 6.5% in July 2025    King Charles and Prince Harry finally reunite after 19 months apart    PIF chief says Saudi transformation could outpace China's, outlines 'filtration' investment process The Fund to unveil its next five-year strategy soon    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    French doctor goes on trial for poisoning 30 patients, 12 fatally    The key to happiness    Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. set to meet in exhibition boxing match in 2026    Al Hilal sign Turkish defender Yusuf Akcicek on €22m deal until 2029    Al Qadsiah sign German midfielder Julian Weigl to strengthen defensive midfield    Al Ahli secure Flamengo starlet Matheus Gonçalves in long-term deal through 2027    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



WTO selects 1st woman, 1st African as chief
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 15 - 02 - 2021

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) made history on Monday when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization's seventh Director-General, the WTO said in an online statement.
When she takes office on March 1, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first African to be chosen as Director-General. Her term, renewable, will expire on Aug. 31, 2025.
"This is a very significant moment for the WTO. On behalf of the General Council, I extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment as the WTO's next Director-General and formally welcome her to this General Council meeting," said General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand.
Walker, together with co-facilitators Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and Amb. Harald Aspelund (Iceland), led the nine-month DG selection process.
"Dr. Ngozi, on behalf of all members I wish to sincerely thank you for your graciousness in these exceptional months, and for your patience. We look forward to collaborating closely with you, Dr. Ngozi, and I am certain that all members will work with you constructively during your tenure as Director-General to shape the future of this organization," he added.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said a key priority for her would be to work with members to quickly address the economic and health consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I am honored to have been selected by WTO members as WTO Director-General," said Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.
"A strong WTO is vital if we are to recover fully and rapidly from the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with members to shape and implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again.
"Our organization faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today."
The General Council decision follows months of uncertainty, which arose when the United States initially refused to join the consensus around Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and threw its support behind Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea.
But following Yoo's decision on Feb. 5 to withdraw her candidacy, the administration of newly elected US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. dropped the US objection and announced instead that Washington extends its "strong support" to the candidacy of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is the sfirst woman and the first African in the organization's 25-year history to have accomplished this. In fact, the United Nations itself — since its inception in 1945 — has never had a woman in the No. 1 spot.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has already made history in Nigeria by becoming the country's first woman finance minister (between 2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and by briefly serving as the foreign minister in 2006.
She is a seasoned economist and an international development expert; she has an economics degree from Harvard University and a PhD in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She also has worked at the World Bank for 25 years, rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director in 2007, handling an $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia.
During her time there, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was at the forefront of numerous initiatives to help poor countries. In 2010, she raised $ 50 billion from donors for the International Development Association (IDA), which is the World Bank's fund for the lowest income countries.
In an interview with South China Morning Post in August 2020, she said, "I come with a résumé that shows I've done reform... And those reforms were bold — they were courageous, if you allow me to say so." — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.