Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially declared her intention to seek a second term as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
In a recent interview with Reuters, Okonjo-Iweala, who has served as the WTO’s first female and African leader since March 2021, she expressed her desire to continue her work in the role to address “unfinished business” from her initial term.
Her current term is set to end on August 31, 2025. Okonjo-Iweala plans to submit a formal letter to the WTO’s decision-making body to confirm her candidacy. She highlighted key priorities for her second term, including finalizing a deal to end fisheries subsidies, advancing global agriculture negotiations, reforming the WTO’s dispute resolution system, and pushing for trade decarbonization.
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Although she has until the end of November to apply officially, Okonjo-Iweala’s early announcement is seen as a strategic move to secure her position before the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November.
Okonjo-Iweala’s previous appointment was notably delayed by the Trump administration, but she received U.S. support under President Joe Biden.
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Responding to questions about the impact of a potential Trump re-election on her bid, Okonjo-Iweala remarked, “I don’t focus on that because I have no control.”
