Nigeria’s former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala remains the favourite for the job of director-general of the World Trade Organisation as the body’s General Council meets next Tuesday to reduce the five candidates still in the race to two.

Okonjo-Iweala; Saudi Arabia’s former minister of economy and planning, Mohammad Maziad Al-Tuwaijri; UK’s former secretary of state for international trade, Liam Fox; South Korea’s Trade Minister, Yoo Myung-hee; and Kenya’s former international trade minister, Amina Mohamed are the aspirants still in the race.

Three candidates, including Mexico’s Jesus Seade, Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, and Moldova’s Tudor Ulianovschi were dropped last month as the Geneva-based organisation said they did not secure enough support in a first of three rounds of voting.

Next week, the five aspirants who jumped the first hurdle to replace Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as the WTO director-general a year ahead of schedule, will be whittled down to just two after a second elimination round.

The remaining five contenders are either current or former ministers, something that trade officials had previously said was an important characteristic for a future Director-General.

Okonjo-Iweala’s high professional/personal qualities, international contacts and impeccable records as Nigeria’s former finance minister/foreign affairs minister and as former managing director of the World Bank, stand her above other contestants, argue pundits familiar with the voting preferences of WTO’s Governing Council.

“Aside from Okonjo-Iweala, no other contestant has ever worked or held a key position in a major international body like the World Bank. In addition, Okonjo-Iweala worked as foreign affairs minister. All her opponents have no international career record,” added another pundit.

There is no requirement for a regional rotation of the WTO chief position.

But there have been calls for an African to finally get a shot at running the organisation, which has counted three director-generals from Europe, and one each from Oceania, Asia and South America since its creation in 1995.

The WTO aims to select a winner in November, but some have voiced fear that increasing politicisation of the WTO, which relies on consensus to reach decisions, could draw out the process.

Whoever is handed the job in the end will be taking over an organisation mired in multiple crises, and struggling to help members navigate a severe global economic slump triggered by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign to lead the WTO during the most turbulent period of its 25-year existence is playing out against the backdrop of the pandemic, a worldwide recession, the US-China battle for trade supremacy, and the American presidential election.

The vacancy offers an opportunity for the US, the European Union, and other nations to reshape the organisation, whose mission of economic integration is under threat from protectionist policies around the globe.

Without reform, the WTO risks being sidelined during the biggest economic crisis in a century.

THISDAY

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has appointed 26-year-old, winner of the reality television show, Big Brother Naija, Olamilekan Laycon Agbeleshe as a youth ambassador.

The governor also announced a gift of three bedroom bungalow and N5million for him.

He made the announcement in Abeokuta, the state capital when he played host to the winner of the reality show at the executive chamber of the governor office in the State capital.

“Once again, I congratulate you and on this note, I hereby appoint you as Youth Ambassador of Ogun State. I look forward to working with you to be a model of good character, excellence, good virtues, calmness, integrity that are general attributes of Ogun State, and in fact, your homestead, Odeda.

“We believe that you will help inspire our teeming youths to channel their energies towards positive engagements and shun vices such as robbery, drug abuse, cultism, advanced fee fraud, cybercrimes and kidnapping amongst other negative tendencies,” the governor announced.

While congratulating Agbeleshe, who is a native of Odeda local government area of the state, the governor promised that an entertainment village is being contemplated to nurture budding talents in the state and beyond.

“On behalf of the Government and good people of Ogun State, I join your fans across the world to welcome you to your Home State.

“I also want to congratulate you on your success after 71 days as a housemate at the Year 2020 Big Brother Naija, Lockdown Edition.”

The governor said young Nigerians can learn from Laycon’s demeanor while in the Big Brother Naija House based on how he related well with the other 19 housemates from different backgrounds.

Governor Abiodun also praised Laycon who he said, “demonstrated the Omoluabi component which is the primary ingredient of an Ogun State-born Nigerian. Despite all the odds, temptations, and provocations in the House, I am proud that you came out unscathed and uninvolved in any scandal or immoral act.

You have also demonstrated with the way you carried out your assigned tasks in the House with comportment; intellectual responses to questions and; your spirit of fair-play, that your academic achievement at the University of Lagos was earned. This has also shown that our Universities can and still produce graduates that are found worthy in character and good learning.”

The governor said the celebration of Laycon’s personality is beyond the entertainment that the House provided, but “what you represent: a rare combination of prodigious intellect, academic excellence, multi-faceted talents, character, and resilience.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2020/10/06/ogun-governor-appoints-bbn-laycon-as-youth-ambassador/amp/