Appointment of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Brazil congratulates all member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the appointment of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General (DG) of the WTO at the extraordinary virtual meeting of the General Council held today, February 15, 2021.

Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian national, replaces Ambassador Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo as DG-WTO. Like Ambassador Azevêdo, the new DG presents a combination of political leadership and technical competence, which are fundamental to dealing with the challenges facing the WTO and the multilateral trade system today.

To Brazil the WTO remains the central foundation of the multilateral trade system. Brazil is ready to cooperate with DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to strengthen the WTO in its fundamental mission of promoting free trade between market economies; fostering the necessary reforms of the Organization in its three pillars - negotiations, dispute settlement and transparency; and ensuring realistic and ambitious outcomes at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference of 2021, especially in agriculture. Brazil will continue to work for a multilateral trade system with rules that bring about economic prosperity and the generation of income and job creation for Brazilians.