Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala, S. Korea’s Yoo in run-off to lead WTO

GENEVA AFP Oct8, 2020-The World Trade Organization is set to have its first female leader after Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee made it through Thursday to the final run-off.   Whoever wins the contest --with a decision due before November 7-- will take over an organisation mired in multiple crises and struggling to help member states navigate a severe global economic slump triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. 

 
Roberto Azevedo stepped down as WTO chief in August a year ahead of schedule. The initial pool of eight candidates to replace the Brazilian career diplomat was narrowed down to five in last month’s first round.   

Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo saw off competition from Britain’s Liam Fox, Kenya’s Amina Mohamed and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad al-Tuwaijri in the second round of the battle to become the next WTO director-general.