Benin Withdraws Nomination for WTO DG, Backs Nigeria
Benin Republic, Nigeria’s next door neighbour in the West African region has withdrawn her nomination for the Director General in the World Trade Organization, WTO, and thrown her weight behind Nigeria’s nominee for the job.
Benin’s decision to withdraw its nominee was contained in a letter addressed to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Benin to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations based in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday.
In her two-page letter, Benin informed the Permanent Missions of the Member States of the International Organization of La Francophonie (01F) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva of its decision to withdraw its candidate in the person of Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Benin in Geneva, His Excellency Eloi Laourou.
Benin said that her decision to withdraw her nomination was informed by consultations conducted by three African countries registered by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on February 10 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the endorsement of a single candidate from Africa for the post of Director General of the WTO for the period 2021 – 2025.
Benin said that the decision to give her support to the candidacy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the person of Okonjo-Iweala was informed by AU decision to support a consensus candidate.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last month nominated Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, to replace the country’s initial nomination for the WTO job.
THISDAY reports that credit should be given to President Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon of the Republic of Benin for his country’s decision to support Nigeria for the WTO Director General’s job.
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