.....Attributes decision to consultation with AU

Tobi Soniyi


The nomination of Nigeria’s former Minister for Finance and former Managing Director of World Bank, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has received a boost as Republic of Benin withdrew its nomination in support of the Nigeria’s nominee for the job.

Benin’s decision to withdraw its nominee was revealed in a letter addressed to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Benin to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations based in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday.


In her two-page letter, Benin informed the Permanent Missions of the Member States of the International Organization of La Francophonie (01F) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva of its decision to withdraw its candidate in the person of Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Benin in Geneva, His Excellency Eloi Laourou.

Benin said that her decision to withdraw her nomination was informed by consultations conducted by three African countries registered by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on February 10 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the endorsement of a single candidate from Africa for the post of Director General of the WTO for the period 2021 – 2025.

Benin said that the decision to give her support to the candidacy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the person of Okonjo-Iweala was informed by AU decision to support a consensus candidate.

Diplomatic sources told THISDAY that credit should be given to President Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon of the Republic of Benin for his country’s decision to support Nigeria for the WTO Director General’s job.

This decision of the President of the Republic of Benin was said to have been inspired by his high sense of seeking consensus around a candidate which will be endorsed by the African Union, as recommended by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in their decisions adopted respectively on July 07, 2019 in Niamey, Niger Republic and February 10, 2020 at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Benin Republic’s Permanent Mission also called on counterparts in the member states of the OIF to inform their respective national authorities that she has decided to throw her weight behind Nigeria’s candidate Okonjo-Iweala.

Last week, WTO acknowledged the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala, as one of the candidates for the position of the Director-General of the organization.

The WTO has opened nominations for a successful candidate that will succeed the current Director-General, Mr Roberto Azevedo, who will be stepping down on August 31, 2020, one year ahead of time


WTO announced this on 9th June, 2020 via its twitter handle.

The tweet post from WTO states, “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Board of Gavi and Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, has been nominated by Nigeria as a candidate for the post of WTO Director-General.”

President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Okonjo-Iweala for the top job. However, her nomination was opposed by Egypt on grounds that the period of nominations had elapsed.

Egypt claimed that the African Union executive had set November 30, 2019 as the deadline for submission of nominees for African countries, therefore, Nigeria’s nomination violated that.

However, the WTO disagreed, saying that the nomination process actually opened on June 8 and will end on July 8, contrary to the claim by Egypt.

The statement from WTO said the nomination period would end on 8 July. Learn more about the process to select the next Director-General of WTO.”

The WTO said after the nomination period is closed, the candidates will be invited to meet with members at a special general council meeting, present their views and take questions from the membership.

Other nominees for the post so far include Mr. Jesús Seade Kuri of Mexico, and Mr. Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt. Okonjo-Iweala, is a world-renowned economist and international development expert.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/06/14/benin-withdraws-nomination-for-wto-dg-backs-nigeria/

Interesting! Hopefully, Egypt will support as well

Nigeria has bullied Benin republic.. infact I think they said we will cut off the electricity supply trade to benin if they don't back us
.
Nigeria is a giant bully

Iweala to the world....

This will go down as Buhari's best appointment and nominees so far....

Brotherly love

Nice one

DonFreshmoney:
Nigeria has bullied Benin republic.. infact I think they said we will cut off the electricity supply trade to benin if they don't back us
.
Nigeria is a giant bully

What will you call USA, China and others? Friendly bullies

Benin na just niaja 37th state

Dem never born them

And they say all other African countries hate Nigeria lol

We won’t forget this Benin!

Better neighbor

Good! NOI go make us proud again.

The Benin Republic has been intimidated.

Up Benin up buhari.we south south and south east are grateful to buhari for nominating our daughter

Noted

Dansuqi:
Up Benin up buhari.we south south and south east are grateful to buhari for nominating their daughter

You shouldn't be using that term we Se/ss.

Nothing like that. You should know better.

Juliusmalema:


You shouldn't be using that term we Se/ss.

Nothing like that. You should know better.

Which term is befitting

President Buhari is really pulling the country’s weight and rallying African countries to support Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. This is a wonderful development. Thanks to the president and people of Benin republic for withdrawing their candidate in support of Nigeria. We won’t forget the gesture.

Dansuqi:

Which term is befitting

More befitting if used separately.

seunmsg:
President Buhari is really pulling the country’s weight and rallying African countries to support Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. This is a wonderful development. Thanks to the president and people of Benin republic for withdrawing their candidate in support of Nigeria. We won’t forget the gesture.

Your country get weight before?

Juliusmalema:



Your country get weight before?

Yes. We are the giant of Africa and we are going to ensure that our candidate becomes the DG of WTO.

Juliusmalema:



More befitting if used separately.

I agree.I thought you will suggest the much vaunted and defunct eastern region

seunmsg:


Yes. We are the giant of Africa and we are going to ensure that our candidate becomes the DG of WTO.

Giant in terrorism?

The giant of Africa is South Africa, rwanda, even Senegal...

Stop making over bloated claims

Dansuqi:


I agree.I thought you will suggest the much vaunted and defunct eastern region

I don't have time for past talks

I don't live in the past.

Juliusmalema:


I don't have time for past talks

I don't live in the past.

Its ok though the past is the foundation of the present.
Let's just thank buhari and move on

Dansuqi:


Its ok though the past is the foundation of the present.
Let's just thank buhari and move on

You thank him and allow others do...so if they deem it fit.

Juliusmalema:


Giant in terrorism?

The giant of Africa is South Africa, rwanda, even Senegal...

Stop making over bloated claims

Giant in terms of GDP, population, educational development, sport, Human Resources, contributions to regional development etc. Xenophobic South Africa is no where near Nigeria.

Btw, this thread is not for a dick measuring contest between Nigeria and SA. I can see your main aim is to derail the thread and argue unnecessarily. Open another thread if you want to discuss about giant of Africa. I won’t engage you again on this thread except you’re talking about the subject of the thread.

seunmsg:


Giant in terms of GDP, population, educational development, sport, Human Resources, contributions to regional development etc. Xenophobic South Africa is no where near Nigeria.

Xenophobic but here there is terrorism, fulani Herdsmen, tribalism.


SA is far ahead of Nigeria in all ramifications. South Africa remains the anchor of Africa.
There is no indices for nigeria to beat that...

SA remains the pride of Africa.

this is true definition of danwa

Okonjo just dey move from Grace to Grace....She is blessed