The World Trade Organisation has reappointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for a second term as its Director-General.
The decision, taken on Friday during a closed-door meeting of the General Council, ensures that Okonjo-Iweala will continue in her role until at least August 2029.
This reappointment occurs against the backdrop of uncertainties surrounding former United States President Donald Trump’s potential return to power, known for his opposition to international trade rules.
The WTO announced, “The organisation’s 166 members today agreed to give incumbent Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala a second term as director-general.” Okonjo-Iweala, the first African and the first woman to head the WTO, was the sole candidate in the race.
Her second term begins after her current mandate ends in August 2025. Although the appointment process was initially expected to take months, African countries advocated for a swift conclusion, officially citing the need for thorough preparation ahead of the WTO’s next major ministerial conference in Cameroon in 2026.
Unofficially, the push aimed to prevent the risk of a Trump-led U.S. administration vetoing her reappointment, as occurred during her initial appointment process in 2020.
Q senior research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, Keith Rockwell, remarked, “The unstated objective is to accelerate the process because they did not want Trump’s team to come in and veto her as they did four years ago.” Trump’s earlier block had delayed her assumption of office until President Joe Biden took office in early 2021.
This reappointment reflects members’ collective desire to avoid a leadership vacuum at the WTO, given the challenging global trade environment. A source close to the discussions revealed, “The overwhelming support for Okonjo-Iweala’s second term came not so much (because) everyone loves Ngozi. Members were worried that if she doesn’t get reinstated, then it’s possible that the administration in Washington would slow things or block other contenders.”
Trump’s past administration disrupted the WTO’s functions, undermining its dispute settlement system and threatening to withdraw the U.S. from the organisation. With Trump signalling plans for renewed trade wars, including imposing tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, analysts warn of further challenges to global trade norms. Elvire Fabry from the Institut Jacques Delors noted, “The festival of tariffs announced to date shows that he has no intention of following any rules. The United States would not even need to withdraw from the WTO. They are freeing themselves from the WTO rules.”
In this fraught climate, Okonjo-Iweala faces a challenging task. “It will be a very difficult mandate, with little certainty about what will happen,” said a source familiar with the process. Dmitry Grozoubinski, author of Why Politicians Lie about Trade, observed, “If president-elect Trump makes destroying the WTO a priority, the organisation’s options will be limited as the institution is not built to withstand overt demolition from within its membership.”
Okonjo-Iweala’s first term saw efforts to revitalise the WTO by focusing on issues like climate change and health. However, calls for reform, particularly to revive the dormant appeals mechanism in its dispute settlement system, have intensified.
Rockwell added, “It is a time right now in which application of the WTO rules has deteriorated. You can’t blame all of this on the United States. That’s true of many other members as well.”
Despite these challenges, Okonjo-Iweala’s reappointment signifies members’ preference for continuity as the WTO navigates its most turbulent period yet.
