Fifty-eight out of the 164 member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have expressed their support for the African Group's proposal backing the incumbent Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for a second term. This was announced at a July 22 meeting of the WTO General Council, according to a statement by the global trade body.

“The African Group requests that the current Director-General make herself available to serve a second term and has proposed that the process of reappointing the Director-General should be started as soon as possible,” the statement read.

"Fifty-eight members, several speaking on behalf of groups of members, took the floor to comment and express their support for the African Group proposal. They called on DG Okonjo-Iweala to make her intentions regarding a second term known as soon as possible. Most of these members praised the DG’s hard work and her achievements during her first term."

Okonjo-Iweala, 70, expressed her gratitude for the support from members. “Everything that I’ve accomplished, we’ve accomplished together,” she said. She added that she takes the members' call seriously and is favorably inclined, promising to announce her intentions soon.

Okonjo-Iweala, the seventh WTO Director-General, began her term on March 1, 2021, with her current term set to expire on August 31, 2025. She is eligible for a second term.

The former Nigerian Finance Minister overcame significant opposition to become the first woman and the first African to serve as WTO Director-General. Prior to her current role, she served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015, and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, making her the first woman to hold both positions. Okonjo-Iweala also had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, eventually rising to Managing Director of operations.