My Plans for WTO If Elected, by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Nigeria’s candidate for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) top position of Director General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Wednesday unfolded her agenda to reposition the organization if given the chance.
She promised to revitalize the organization by working with member countries.
She also promised to ensure that the United States which has threatened to levy the WTO does not do so.
Speaking to newsmen, she said she intends to ensure that small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) which have suffered the effect of the coronavirus are assisted to be integrate in the multilateral trading system.
She promised to do this by talking to member countries.
According to her, “The WTO DG has no direct decision-making authority. But the WTO DG can work to make things move along with influence and that influence can be proactive.
“And that is the kind of DG that I intend to be if I am selected; to proactively work with members, to deliver outcomes, starting with the next ministerial, to show that the WTO is back and that the WTO is rejuvenated. So, I intend to be a proactively supportive DG.
“The organisation has never had a woman or an African as DG, but my insistence is that choosing a DG for WTO should be on merit.
“The best person to lead the institution should be chosen. Now I will say to them, if that person happens to be a woman, let it be, if she happens to be an African, so be it.
“One crucial thing arising from COVID-19 and the impact it has had on economic growth and the predicted contraction of the world economy and economies around the world is that MSMEs have been badly affected. So, they need liquidity.
“So, we need to make sure that for them to survive, they should have adequate liquidity to keep their businesses going. My worry is that there have been countries globally who have been able to make this liquidity available to their MSMEs and there are others, like many developing countries and least developed countries who have not.
“And, one of my roles as African Union envoy, with my other five colleagues, has been to see how we can facilitate and encourage additional resources from outside and inside to these MSMEs, so that they can regain their position and be able to stand, not only to keep jobs but to thrive in the future and create more jobs.
“So, I am very keen. I think it is a very important sector and the WTO would work hard to make sure such types of enterprises are supported.”
She promised to revitalize the organization by working with member countries.
She also promised to ensure that the United States which has threatened to levy the WTO does not do so.
Speaking to newsmen, she said she intends to ensure that small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) which have suffered the effect of the coronavirus are assisted to be integrate in the multilateral trading system.
She promised to do this by talking to member countries.
According to her, “The WTO DG has no direct decision-making authority. But the WTO DG can work to make things move along with influence and that influence can be proactive.
“And that is the kind of DG that I intend to be if I am selected; to proactively work with members, to deliver outcomes, starting with the next ministerial, to show that the WTO is back and that the WTO is rejuvenated. So, I intend to be a proactively supportive DG.
“The organisation has never had a woman or an African as DG, but my insistence is that choosing a DG for WTO should be on merit.
“The best person to lead the institution should be chosen. Now I will say to them, if that person happens to be a woman, let it be, if she happens to be an African, so be it.
“One crucial thing arising from COVID-19 and the impact it has had on economic growth and the predicted contraction of the world economy and economies around the world is that MSMEs have been badly affected. So, they need liquidity.
“So, we need to make sure that for them to survive, they should have adequate liquidity to keep their businesses going. My worry is that there have been countries globally who have been able to make this liquidity available to their MSMEs and there are others, like many developing countries and least developed countries who have not.
“And, one of my roles as African Union envoy, with my other five colleagues, has been to see how we can facilitate and encourage additional resources from outside and inside to these MSMEs, so that they can regain their position and be able to stand, not only to keep jobs but to thrive in the future and create more jobs.
“So, I am very keen. I think it is a very important sector and the WTO would work hard to make sure such types of enterprises are supported.”
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