The World Trade Organization, WTO has retained Nigeria’s Former Minister for Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala after dropping three candidates from the race to be the next Director-General of the body.
Mexico’s Jesus Seade, Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, and Moldova’s Tudor Ulianovschi didn’t secure enough support in a first of three rounds of voting. The group also plans to reduce the contestants to two final candidates in the coming weeks.
Bloomberg reports that Okonjo-Iweala is still very much in the race.
“Their expertise and high professional and personal qualities are highly valued and respected by all members,” WTO General Council Chairman, David Walker, said in a statement on Friday.
The second phase of consultations would begin on September 24 and run until October 6 after which the WTO would announce two final candidates.
