The United States has explained its stance not to back Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General position, noting the position must be held by ‘someone with real, hands-on experience in the field’.
The US instead has thrown its weight behind South Korea’s Yoo Myung-Hee to head the WTO.
Okonjo-Iweala who is Nigeria’s former Finance Minister is currently in poll position to secure the job after the WTO nominations committee on Wednesday recommended her to its 164 member countries for appointment into the top spot.
Explaining its position, office of the US Trade Representative which advises President Donald Trump on trade policy in a statement said Yoo had distinguished herself as a trade expert and has all the necessary skills to be an efficient leader of the organisation.
The statement read in part, “WTO must be led by someone with real, hands-on experience in the field.
“Yoo had distinguished herself as a trade expert and has all the skills necessary to be an effective leader of the organisation”.
“This is a very difficult time for the WTO and international trade”.
It added, “There have been no multilateral tariff negotiations in 25 years, the dispute settlement system has gotten out of control, and too few members fulfill basic transparency obligations. The WTO is badly in need of major reform.”