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Feel ready to go- WTO-DG

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially resumed duty as the Director-General, World Trade Organization WTO. This comes weeks after her appointment was endorsed by the United States and approved by the trade organization.

Upon assumption of duty, Monday, the former Nigerian finance and foreign minister said she was eager to get straight to work as the first woman and first African to lead the beleaguered World Trade Organization.

“I am coming into one of the most important institutions in the world and we have a lot of work to do,” Iweala said as she arrived for her first day on the job in Geneva.
“I am hoping to be able to listen in and see what delegations have to say, what ambassadors have to say, about the key issues,” she told journalists about her expectations for her first day.”I feel ready to go.”

A day after her nomination last month, she had told AFP that “The WTO is too important to allow it to be slowed down, paralyzed and moribund,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala is handling the DG seat after the WTO was left adrift for six months following the sudden departure of Brazilian career diplomat Roberto Azevedo last August, a year ahead of schedule.
On February 15, the global trade body had said in a statement: “WTO members have just agreed to appoint Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general,”.

Although her appointment was delayed, the platform has been set for the new DG to man the trade organization with so much trust vested in her, especially from Africans and Nigeria.
Well-wishers have not seized to sending their congratulatory messages to the DG as she resumes duty.

What is your wish for the WTO-DG upon assumption of today?

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