KEY POINTS
- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announces bid for a second term as WTO Director-General.
- Key priorities include fisheries subsidies, agricultural reforms, and restoring the dispute settlement system.
- Early support from African nations and other members signals broad backing for her candidacy.
World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has announced her intention to seek a second four-year term to address ongoing challenges in the global trade body.
Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the WTO cited “unfinished business” as her motivation to continue her leadership of the organization.
In an interview, she highlighted several key issues she plans to prioritize, including concluding a deal to end harmful fisheries subsidies and advancing stalled global agricultural negotiations.
She also aims to reform the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism, which has been crippled since 2019, and work towards decarbonizing global trade.
Key priorities for the second term
Okonjo-Iweala took the reins of the 30-year-old organization in 2021 amid rising global trade tensions and has since brokered significant deals, including a 2022 agreement on fisheries subsidies.
However, other initiatives remain incomplete. “For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering,” she said, pointing to ongoing talks on agriculture and the need to restore the WTO’s dispute settlement system.
In particular, the WTO’s ability to resolve disputes has been hampered since the Trump administration blocked the appointment of new judges to its highest court, a policy that has continued under the Biden administration.
Despite these challenges, Okonjo-Iweala remains optimistic that reforms can be achieved. “We will continue to engage all members, including the U.S., to find a way forward,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala has until the end of November to formally announce her candidacy, but many African nations and other members of the WTO support her early declaration. She could secure a second term by consensus if no other candidates emerge.
Challenges in WTO leadership
Despite her achievements, Okonjo-Iweala acknowledges that the job is far from easy, describing it as “very tough.” According to Reuters, she faces challenges navigating the competing interests of 166 member countries and geopolitical tensions that have made consensus-building increasingly difficult.
High-level meetings have seen limited outcomes, and a recent agreement on digital tariffs was overshadowed by the continued standoff over fisheries subsidies, largely due to India’s opposition.
The WTO’s leadership has also faced internal criticism for its handling of various disputes, including the organization’s limited ability to enforce rules. Okonjo-Iweala, however, remains committed to restoring the WTO’s credibility and effectiveness, stating that reforms are critical for maintaining a fair global trading system.
Her long-term vision for the WTO also includes making trade more environmentally sustainable. She has repeatedly called for decarbonizing trade and aligning global trade policies with climate goals, an agenda that resonates with many member states but remains a complex challenge to implement.
As Okonjo-Iweala seeks a second term, she hopes to solidify the progress made during her first mandate while pushing forward on unresolved issues.
