She took office in February 2021 after his first term ended. But Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, tried to block her from becoming WTO director-general — only to have that decision reversed after Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
In the runup to this week’s meeting, neither Trump’s transition team nor the Biden administration openly opposed or supported her bid for a second term. However, nervousness over what Trump might do clearly influenced the action of WTO members in recent months.
Accelerated process
Okonjo-Iweala first term does not end until Aug. 31, 2025, so the process of reappointing her or selecting a new director general normally would have begun just a few days from now on Dec. 1.
WTO members agreed this fall to speed up the process at the behest of the Africa Group of nations, which argued her early reappointment would help the WTO better prepare for its next ministerial conference in late 2025 or early 2026.
However, most people saw that move as a blatant effort to prevent Trump from blocking Okonjo-Iweala’s reappointment in the event of his reelection.
Okonjo-Iweala’s new term gives her another four years to preside over a troubled organization that has little to show in terms of reaching new agreements and is increasingly wracked by tensions between its biggest members, China, the U.S., the EU and India.
This story has been updated.