Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for a second four-year term.
The decision was finalised during a General Council meeting held from 28-29 November 2024. Her new term will begin on 1 September 2025, following the conclusion of her initial tenure on 31 August 2025.
Okonjo-Iweala, who made history in 2021 as the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO, was the sole nominee for the position. The reappointment process commenced on 8 October 2024, chaired by Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway.
With no competing candidates by the 8 November deadline, her candidacy received unanimous support from the organisation’s 166 member nations.
During the special council session, Okonjo-Iweala presented her vision for the WTO’s future, addressing issues such as reforms to the global trade system, negotiations on fisheries subsidies, and the need to strengthen the dispute settlement mechanism. Members engaged in a robust Q&A session before formally endorsing her reappointment.
In her comments, Okonjo-Iweala was grateful for the trust placed in her and reaffirmed her vision to ensure global economic resilience through trade. “We have made significant progress, but much remains to be done to address the complexities of today’s trade environment,” she said, noting her priorities for her next term.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala brings a wealth of experience to the role, drawing from her tenure as Nigeria’s finance minister, where she successfully negotiated an $18 billion debt relief package in 2005.
She also served as Managing Director at the World Bank, where she helped in securing funding for development projects in low-income countries.
Currently, global trade tensions are increasing, particularly between the United States and China. Analysts anticipate that Okonjo-Iweala’s second term will involve tackling these challenges while pursuing the WTO’s agenda of inclusivity and fairness in global trade.
Her continued focus on addressing the WTO’s reform needs and enhancing its capacity to adapt to the dynamic global economy is one of the required solutions.
