The United States stated reasons for supporting South Korea’s Myung-hee over Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO) position.
In a statement issued by the office, the US trade representative Robert Lighthizer added that the WTO needs “someone with real, hands-on experience in the field”.
“The United States supports the selection of Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee as the next WTO Director-General,” the USTR, led by Lighthizer, said.
“Minister Yoo is a bona fide trade expert who has distinguished herself during a 25-year career as a successful trade negotiator and trade policymaker. She has all the skills necessary to be an effective leader of the organization.
“This is a very difficult time for the WTO and international trade. There have been no multilateral tariff negotiations in 25 years, the dispute settlement system has gotten out of control, and too few members fulfill basic transparency obligations.
“The WTO is badly in need of major reform. It must be led by someone with real, hands-on experience in the field.”
However, in a tweet on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala expressed gratitude over her continued progress towards the WTP DG position.
https://twitter.com/NOIweala/status/1321840189866758144