Nigeria’s former minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday, started work as the new Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
“Welcome to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala @NOIweala on her first day as WTO Director-General!” the WTO tweeted today.
She immediately swung into action upon arrival at Geneva as she takes the floor at a WTO meeting for the first time as Director-General at the General Council.
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, who is the first woman and first African to run the WTO, has said that addressing the health and economic consequences of the pandemic would be a key priority.
There are concerns in Washington and other capitals about China’s trade policies and how well equipped the WTO is to deal with them.
Resuming at her office in the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Nigeria’s ex-Coordinating Minister of the Economy, appeared in her country’s traditional attire sewn from an African wax fabric material.
The dressing wouldn’t be complete without her signature headtie (called Gèlè in Yoruba, kwalliyar kai in Hausa and ihe mkpuchi isi in Igbo) which led to the #BeLikeNgozi headgear challenge back home in Nigeria to honour her appointment.