I’m best for WTO job, but need help with PR — OKONJO-IWEALA

TRACKING ____Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said she is the best candidate for the Director-General of World Trade Organisation, WTO, position, but that she needs volunteers as she lacks the resources to engage public relations firms and lobbyists that other candidates might be using.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala spoke in an interview on Arise Television’s prime news programme, NEWSNIGHT NIGERIA, monitored in Abuja last night.

According to two-time Minister of Finance, “so far things are going well and I’m grateful for the support of the government and Nigerians.

“I don’t have any PR firm working for me. I have some friends who are helping with media work pro-bono because I cannot afford to pay them. It would be nice to have some volunteers.”

She described the claim by Egypt’s candidate for the WTO job that her nomination is not outside the rules of the African Union as absolutely not true, pointing out that the WTO has formally accepted her nomination because the position of the Egyptian candidate is faulty.

She expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as other agencies for their strong support.

Speaking on her qualification, Okonjo-Iweala declared: “I am the best woman for the job,” citing her decades-long expertise as a development economist with extensive hands-on expertise in the trade.

She also pointed out that her leadership skills as a pragmatic consensus builder and her global network of associates, partners and friends, stand her in good stead on the job.

Okonjo-Iweala described WTO as a critical global organisation that needs to be reformed in key areas such as dispute resolution, adding that its effectiveness will be enhanced if it becomes more inclusive by supporting women, MSMEs among others.

On the US-China disagreements that have paralysed the organisation, Okonjo-Iweala stated that she has the experience to find areas of unanimity and mutual benefit, using them as a foundation to tackle more serious challenges.