U.S. reverses stance, backs giving poorer countries access to COVID vaccine patents The World Trade Organization chief called Wednesday for international agreement on how to ensure more equal access to Covid-19 vaccines, amid an ongoing standoff over a proposed patent waiver for the jabs. “The way the WTO handles this matter is critical,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Read More…
Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was selected by consensus to be the next director-general of the World Trade Organization at a closed-door meeting on Monday, according to two sources attending the meeting. All members of the WTO’s top decision-making body, the General Council, agreed on her appointment in a virtual meeting which had just one agenda item, Read More…
World Trade Organization members are conducting final consultations this week on selecting a new director-general (DG) and are widely expected to endorse Nigeria’s candidate at their next formal meeting, delegates said on Monday. Washington backed Nigerian former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Friday, reversing its previous opposition and prompting her to express optimism about her Read More…
Nigeria is reaching out to the United States and South Korea to persuade them to back its pick to head the World Trade Organization, the trade ministry said on Friday, after the candidate’s last-minute rejection threw the selection process into confusion. The United States on Wednesday voiced its opposition to former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Read More…
The World Trade Organization’s bid to select a new leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday after the United States rejected the Nigerian woman proposed as the global watchdog’s next director-general. Three WTO ambassadors, charged with finding a successor to Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, had decided that Nigerian former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should be the Read More…
We won’t recover from the pandemic unless leaders can persuade citizens that they’re spending wisely. By Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala The world will not be rid of Covid-19 until we have a safe and effective vaccine available to everyone. We will not recover from the far-reaching economic impact of the pandemic without a new social compact Read More…