ALIKO Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group has thrown his support behind the ambition of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Finance Minister to become the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Dangote declared his support for Okonjo-Iweala via a social media post on his official Twitter handle on Tuesday.
According to the Africa’s richest man, the WTO needs the renowned skills of the former finance minister and economist during these challenging time of the world.
“In these challenging times, WTO needs the renowned skills and tested experience of Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala to lead the organisation through identified obstacles and strengthen its position as the prime facilitator of international trade,” Dangote tweeted.
In these challenging times @WTO needs the renowned skills and tested experience of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala @NOIweala to lead the organisation through identified obstacles and strengthen its position as the prime facilitator of international trade.(1/2)
— Aliko Dangote (@AlikoDangote) September 1, 2020
Okonjo-Iweala during her presentation to the General Council of the WTO had boasted of being in trade affairs for more than three decades and submitted that it was an essential part of development economics.
The finance expert is competing against eight other candidates for the post of the DG of the WTO.
If elected, Okonjo-Iweala would become the first black woman to serve at the topmost position of the WTO.
The WTO is an International organisation established in 1995 to deal with the global rules of trade between nations, pushing for a coherent and smooth regulation of trade among nations of the world.
Presently, there are 164 member-nations and 24 observer governments in the WTO.
The ICIR had in a report analysed and evaluated the chances of Okonjo-Iweala in emerging victorious in the election.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94