Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and African to be the Director-General of which international body?

On 15th February 2021, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (born 1954) was appointed as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She is the first woman and the first African to hold the office. The Nigerian-American economist also sits on the boards of Twitter, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. Throughout her career, Okonjo-Iweala has held several notable positions, including Finance Minister of Nigeria, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Managing Director for Operations at the World Bank.

Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria. Her father was the obi (king) of the Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu. In 1973, she moved to the United States to study Economics at Harvard University, followed by a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As Director-General of the WTO, Okonjo-Iweala is responsible for the organization's administrative operations. The WTO was established in 1995 to regulate international trade. As of 2018, there are 164 members and 23 observer nations. The countries are provided with a framework for negotiating trade agreements, but the WTO will step in to resolve trade-related disputes when needed.

Okonjo-Iweala has received numerous awards and recognition. In 2014, 'TIME' listed her as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World and 'Forbes' included her among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World. In 2020, 'Forbes' rated her 'African of the Year'.