The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, wishes to congratulate Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria on her selection, together with Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea, to the third and final round of consultations to select the next Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The Chairperson also wishes to commend the strong calibre of the three African candidates that participated in the selection process, leveraging world class African expertise on the world stage.

The African Union is particularly proud of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s historic achievement, together with Yoo Myung-hee, to have set a historical precedent that will ensure that the next Director-General of the World Trade Organization will be a woman, a first in the 25year history of the Organization.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s formidable global reputation in international finance, development and public health and vast experience in high-level leadership, makes her by far the best qualified candidate to lead the WTO during this challenging time. The African Union strongly supports her candidacy and calls on Member States and friends of the Continent to vote for her.