But there is also hope that political changes in the United States could improve global trading relationships and boost a World Trade Organization that could be led by former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala if the US lifts its veto on her appointment (AC Vol 61 No 22 One last hurdle)...

It is thought in African regional health policy circles that if the former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is confirmed as the new director-general of the WTO she will lend a sympathetic ear especially given her current role as chair of Gavi (AC Vol 61 No 22 One last hurdle)...

The 18-member council appointed last year includes international experts such as Harvard University's Professor Dani Rodrik University College London's Professor Mariana Mazzucato former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala former governor of the Bank of Tanzania Professor Benno Ndulu former chief economic advisor to former President Thabo Mbeki Professor Alan Hirsch and economist Thabi Leoka...

When World Trade Organization General Council Chair David Walker recommended on 28 October that Nigeria's ex-finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala be appointed Director-General three months of consultation seemed to be over (AC Vol 61 No 14 At cross purposes on world trade)...

Kenya's Amina Mohamed will again narrowly miss out on a top international job after Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Nigeria's former finance minister and Yoo Myung-hee South Korea's trade chief were selected as the final two candidates in the race to be the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (AC Vol 61 No 15 A favourite for an impossible job)...

Despite flying to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and speak to other European leaders President Uhuru Kenyatta's European charm offensive on Mohamed's behalf last week failed to persuade most of the EU envoys who instead agreed to endorse Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo Myung-hee...

Africa's two female candidates – Kenya's Amina Mohamed and Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – lead the field but Asian support is building for South Korea's Yoo Myung-hee officials say...

Along with the rival campaign of Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (AC Vol 61 No 14 At cross purposes on world trade) Mohamed's bid for the director-general job at the WTO is reckoned to be the best chance for an African to head a major international organisation since Ghana's Kofi Annan became Secretary-General of the UN in 1997...

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Abuja's candidate and emerging front-runner for the top post at the World Trade Organisation faces tough questions about her campaign's use of lobbyists who advocate for Biafran independence and accuse President Muhammadu Buhari's government of state-sponsored genocide...

Aside from Biafran secessionist Nnamdi Kanu and World Trade Organisation chief contender Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Mercury's main interests on the continent are in Libya where it has a $2 million per year contract with the UN-recognised Government of National Accord led by Faiez el Serraj in Tripoli (See Pointer)...