Okonjo-Iweala Denies Plans To Run For Presidency, Says She Enjoy What She’s Doing

The Director-Normal of the World Commerce Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied experiences linking her to plans to run for Nigeria’s presidential seat in 2023.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was Nigeria’s former finance minister, faulted the experiences which additionally claimed she is ready to resign from her WTO place as a part of plans to contest for the nation’s primary put up.

“I simply obtained right here. I’m having fun with what I’m doing,” she informed Bloomberg. “It’s a very thrilling job and I’m making an attempt to have some successes right here.”

She described the rumours as “totally ridiculous”, sustaining that she is concentrated on doing her job because the WTO chief and attaining some milestones with the organisation.

Her remark follows latest strategies by commerce officers in Geneva that the Nigerian could be leaving her put up, months after she grew to become the primary lady and African to guide the WTO.

On Vaccine Manufacturing

The WTO chief has been on the forefront of the push for COVID-19 vaccine fairness.

She informed President Muhammadu Buhari throughout a latest go to to Nigeria that she is persuading vaccine producers to spend money on Africa because the drive for COVID-19 vaccination continues globally.

“We now have to scale up and scale out COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, notably in rising markets and growing nations,” she was quoted within the WTO web site as saying.

In accordance with her, because it takes rather a lot to construct new manufacturing amenities, boosting the manufacturing within the brief time period is “benefiting from present manufacturing capability — discovering present websites and turning them round.”

Her drive for COVID-19 vaccine fairness has additionally earned her accolades globally. In September, American media outlet Time Journal listed her alongside US President, Joe Biden; Chinese language President, Xi Jinping, and others, among the many Most Influential Folks for 2021.

“As we face a relentless barrage of vaccine misinformation, bureaucratic slowdowns throughout each authorities and trade, and the rise of variants that underscore the urgency of the scenario, Okonjo-Iweala has proven us that to finish the pandemic, we should work collectively to equip each nation with equitable vaccine entry,” Prince Harry and Meghan wrote about her on the Time’s website.