Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

US blocks African candidate for WTO chief with eye on China

US blocks African candidate for WTO chief with eye on China

The U.S. has expressed opposition to Nigerian-born economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the top job at the World Trade Organization, prolonging a selection process that was expected to conclude Wednesday.

Okonjo-Iweala, who formerly held the No. 2 post at the World Bank, had amassed wide support among African countries and secured around 80 votes, or half of the organization's members, by mid-October. More recently, she gained the backing of the 27 European Union members, all but clinching victory.

But the meeting of members on Wednesday failed to finalize the selection -- a race between Okonjo-Iweala and South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee -- due to Washington's rejection.

"One delegation could not support the candidacy of Dr. Ngozi and said they would continue to support South Korean minister Yoo. That delegation was the United States of America," WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told reporters at the group's headquarters in Geneva after the closed-door meeting.

The WTO's decision-making process is based on consensus, and either candidate will need to win the blessing of all 164 members.


Korea's Yoo Myung-hee speaks at a press conference.

The South Korean minister has worked extensively with American trade chief Robert Lighthizer, including on negotiations to amend the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. Washington has directed its diplomats to gauge support for Yoo in their host countries, Politico reported.


According to a person with knowledge of the matter, members including Japan spoke up in favor of concluding the process with Okonjo-Iweala as the appointee.

Despite U.S. resistance, a spokesperson for Okonjo-Iweala's campaign said the candidate is "immensely humbled to receive the backing of the WTO's selection committee" and "looks forward to the General Council on Nov. 9 when the committee will recommend her appointment as Director-General."

"A swift conclusion to the process will allow members to begin again to work, together, on the urgent challenges and priorities," the campaign spokesperson said.

The opposition is reminiscent of the skepticism by President Donald Trump's administration toward the World Health Organization, which is led by Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian foreign minister. The White House repeatedly criticized Tedros as being pro-China and ultimately announced a U.S. withdrawal from the WHO due to the group's "alarming lack of independence" from China.

Like Ethiopia, Nigeria is a heavy recipient of Chinese economic aid. But Okonjo-Iweala has lived many years in the Washington suburbs due to her 25-year career at the World Bank.

The Harvard-educated Okonjo-Iweala obtained American citizenship in 2019 and has dual nationality with Nigeria. She was nominated to the top WTO job by her native African country.

Washington's opposition creates a tricky situation for its ally Japan. Tokyo had been wary of Okonjo-Iweala's rival candidate, fearing that a Yoo-led WTO may rule in favor of South Korea in its many trade disputes with Japan.

Either Okonjo-Iweala or Yoo would be the first woman to lead the Geneva-based trade body.


WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian foreign minister, attends a news conference at the WHO headquarters in Geneva Switzerland on July 3.


The new chief will be thrust immediately into the U.S.-China tug of war over the future of the organization. Predecessor Roberto Azevedo, a Brazilian, stepped down with a year left in his term as WTO reforms stalled.

The organization also is coping with a crippled dispute settlement system after the U.S. blocked the appointment of several judges to its Appellate Body, accusing the court of overreaching and over-interpreting WTO agreements.

The new director-general also will have to mitigate growing complaints, led by Washington, of China's simultaneous inclusion in the global trade system and its use of state subsidies.

During an interview with Nikkei Asia in July, Okonjo-Iweala said "it's important to listen to who feels it's not fair and then restore that balance of rights and obligations that members need to undertake."

The World Bank veteran described herself as a reformer and said she has strong political and negotiation skills.

"I'm a good listener, and you need listening skills to make this work," she said. "I'm pragmatic, and I'm solutions oriented."

Okonjo-Iweala's experience as chair of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, a Geneva-based public-private partnership aimed at increasing access to immunization in poor countries, will help guide one of her first tasks: facilitating a trade mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines.

The economist, who also sits on the board of Twitter, cited in her interview with Nikkei an urgency to update the WTO's rulebook to address new challenges such as digital trade. But such negotiations, when the organization is in pressing need of structural reforms, likely will take a long time to bear fruit.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×