The European Union on Friday assured Nigeria that it will support Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s aspiration for the post of Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
President Muhammadu Buhari got the support when he spoke with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in a video chat.
Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala who is currently leading candidate for the position is reported to be facing stiff opposition from the United States of America
But the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement that the EU President “reiterated Europe’s support for Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)”
The President is leading Nigeria’s charge for Okonjo-Iweala, the country’s former Minister of Finance, to emerge as the first Black and female WTO DG.
President Buhari thanked the European Council for its support for Nigeria’s candidate.
Also discussed during the conference were issues bordering on debt relief for Africa, EU-African relations and recharge of the Lake Chad, which has currently shrunk to less than one-third of its usual size, and throwing about 130 million people who depend on the Lake into dire straits.
The statement noted that the recharge of the Lake Chad is an issue the Nigerian President had vigorously canvassed at diverse global fora in recent time.
President Buhari also expressed appreciation to Michel for expected positive developments on the issues.
(BusinessDay)
