Why Okonjo-Iweala will Emerge WTO DG Despite U.S. Resistance

 It was a celebration mood for many Nigerians on Wednesday when the former Coordinating Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs, Okonjo-Iweala fulfilled the 19th out of the 25 procedure for the appointment of Director General of World Health Organization, WTO, as contained in the WTO agreement known as WT/L/509 of January 20, 2003.

It called for a massive celebration because that is the first time a woman will ever have such rare opportunity to emerge as the DG of WTO.

However, the celebration was cutshort when United States opposed the choice of Okonjo-Iweala as the seventh head of the global trade organization.

It could be recalled that Okonjo-Iweala in her pursuit to become the DG of WTO fulfilled the required 19th procedure out of the 25 step where Troika, the Chairman of WTO submitted her name as the candidate that stand the chance of enjoying consensus to the General Council of WTO and then recommended her appointment.

According to the WTO procedure for the appointment of World Health Organization, the General Council is the highest decision-making body which of course is after the Ministerial Conference. 

According to Premium Times, WTO confirmed that the Okonjo-Iweala polled overwhelming supports of the majority of 164 countries who are members of the World Trade Organization during the final stage of the process. 

It is as a result of this, Okonjo-Iweala still have high hope of emerging the DG of WTO as the opposition of only USA, one of the member states cannot change the decision of the executive council of the global trade organization.