Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s US passport will not help her chances in WTO leadership race, Chinese trade experts say
- Nigerian candidate is running on a ticket to reform the World Trade Organisation, but confirmation that she holds a US passport may not endear her to some members
- With geopolitical tensions running high, candidates are keen not to seem too close to the United States, for fear of alienating other countries
Confirmation that the Nigerian candidate to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO) holds an American passport does not work in her favour under the current geopolitical conditions, according to various Chinese trade experts.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, having pitched herself as “an outsider who offers comprehensive skills and experience needed to shake [the WTO] up”, is considered to be among the front runners for the job, which was made vacant by the premature departure of Roberto Azevedo, who took up a corporate role at PepsiCo earlier this week.
The former Nigerian finance minister’s campaign confirmed to the South China Morning Post that, “like many international civil servants, Ngozi took dual citizenship in 2019, following decades of working at the World Bank and studying in the US”. Her dual citizenship was first reported by Bloomberg.
In such a politicised moment for global trade, candidates have been at pains to distance themselves from any political factions, particularly with regard to the ongoing rivalry between China and the United States.
Sometimes professionalism is not the most important – political factors get in the way
Analysts have said that Okonjo-Iweala’s disclosure could be an unfortunate mark against her in Beijing’s eyes.