By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday held a video conference with Mr. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, over the candidature of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
On Wednesday, a WTO nominations committee recommended the group’s 164 members appoint Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s ex-finance minister, to lead the organisation.
But that historic nomination was thrown into doubt after the U.S. opposed the move.
She would be the first woman and first African to lead the WTO.
But the US, critical of the WTO’s handling of global trade, wants another woman, South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee, saying she could reform the body.
Ms Okonjo-Iweala said she was “immensely humbled” to be nominated.
But the four-month selection process to find the next WTO director-general hit a road block when Washington said it would continue to back South Korea’s trade minister.
In a statement critical of the WTO, the Office of the US Trade Representative, which advises President Donald Trump on trade policy, said the organisation “must be led by someone with real, hands-on experience in the field”.
Ms Yoo had “distinguished herself” as a trade expert and “has all the skills necessary to be an effective leader of the organisation”, the statement said.
It added: “This is a very difficult time for the WTO and international trade. 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.”
The statement did not mention Ms Okonjo-Iweala.
Earlier on Wednesday, after a WTO delegates meeting to discuss the appointment, spokesman Keith Rockwell said just one member country did not support Ms Okonjo-Iweala.
“All of the delegations that expressed their views today expressed very strong support for the process… for the outcome. Except for one,” he said.
But on Friday, Michel in a video conference with Buhari, reiterated Europe’s support for Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the WTO.
Buhari is leading Nigeria’s charge for Okonjo-Iweala to emerge as the first Black and female WTO DG.
President Buhari thanked the European Council for its support for Nigeria’s candidate.
Also discussed during the conference were issues bordering on debt relief for Africa, EU-African relations and recharge of the Lake Chad, which has currently shrunk to less than one-third of its usual size, and throwing about 130 million people who depend on the Lake into dire straits.
A statement by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said recharge of the Lake Chad was an issue the Nigerian President had vigorously canvassed at diverse global fora in recent time.
The statement said President Buhari expressed appreciation to Mr. Michel for expected positive developments on the issues.