NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 21 – Kenya’s Foreign Officeb hosted a series of virtual talks on Friday with foreign envoys based in Nairobi to promote Amb Amina Mohamed’s candidacy for World Trade Organization (WTO) Director Generalship.
The meetings were led by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo.
In a meeting with Middle East Ambassadors, CS Mohamed said she was determined to facilitate WTO reforms in an inclusive trading system.
Kenya submitted Mohamed’s candidature for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organization on July 7. She is battling it out with seven candidates from Egypt, Mexico, Moldova, Nigeria, South Korea, Britain and Saudi Arabia.
President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed Mohamed for the Director General’s post, saying she is uniquely qualified to lead the global organization.
The President said the former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary who currently heads the Sports and Culture docket understands the WTO and its processes, having chaired all its high-level decision-making bodies when she was the Council chair.
“My experience working with her over the years and watching her work with others has convinced me that she is an effective leader and without doubt, a master consensus builder. She listens to advice and works hard always to find common ground,” Kenyatta said.
“I have no doubt in my mind that her leadership at the WTO will, without doubt, be a game-changer, that will enable this important institution to meet the requirements of its Member States and to better address the evolving demands of the 21st Century, and this, led by a proven consensus-builder,” he said.
Kenyatta further pointed out that Mohamed’s wealth of experience with the WTO and the multilateral trading system combined with her extensive track record in international relations and her political experience makes her fit for the position.
Mohamed alongside seven other contestants, among them two Africans, are seeking to succeed the current Director-General, Roberto Azevêdo who announced he will step down on August 31 2020.
The other contestants include; Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria), Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh (Egypt), Jesús Seade Kuri (Mexico), Tudor Ulianovschi (Moldova) and Yoo Myung-hee (Republic of Korea).
The nomination period for the 2020 DG selection process ended on 8 July. The second phase of the process in which the candidates “make themselves known to members” will end on September 7.
The third phase will begin after September 7. The Chair of the General Council, together with the chairs of the Dispute Settlement Body and the Trade Policy Review Body, will start to consult with all WTO members to assess their preferences and seek to determine which candidate is best placed to attract consensus support.
The phase will last no more than two months.
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