Dr Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala is one step from being announced as the new DG of the World Trade Organization (WTO), sources at the Geneva office say.
The former Minister of Finance is the first African and the first woman to head the WTO.
She defeated South Korea’s Ms Yoo Myung-hee to emerge.
According to reports, the former minister polled 104 votes from 164 member countries to defeat her South Korea’s trade minister opponent, at the final stage of the race
Okonjo-Iweala had won the popular vote to become the next DG and had the nod of the three ambassadors saddled with the responsibility of picking the next leader of the trade body.
But at a WTO delegates meeting to discuss the appointment, the US expressed opposition to her election — the US was the only country opposing her election.
Keith Rockwell, the spokesman of the WTO, said just one member country did not support Okonjo-Iweala.
“All of the delegations that expressed their views today expressed very strong support for the outcome, except for one,” he said.
The WTO reconvenes on November 9, 2020 after the US election to decide who becomes the next DG.
