Breaking: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Reappointed as WTO Director-General

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a second term. This decision was made by the WTO’s 166 members, who agreed by consensus during a special meeting . Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and African to lead the WTO, was the only candidate in the race and had been expected to secure a second term.

Her reappointment comes at a critical time, as the WTO faces challenges from the impending return of Donald Trump, who has expressed disdain for international trade rules. The organization is also under pressure to reform, particularly its dispute settlement system, which collapsed during Trump’s first presidency.

Okonjo-Iweala has been working to revitalize the WTO, focusing on areas like climate change and health. Her second term is expected to be challenging, with many experts warning of the difficulties ahead. As Elvire Fabry, a researcher at the Institut Jacques Delors think-tank, noted, “The festival of tariffs announced to date shows that [Trump] has no intention of following any rules”.