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The Mo Ibrahim Foundation welcomes the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). As the first woman and the first African leader, this is an important moment.
This comes at a difficult time for multilateralism. In the context of COVID-19, a tumultuous time for global trade and growing nationalist trends, the WTO faces significant challenges. Our sister Ngozi will fulfill this vital role with experience, wisdom and determination – leading an inclusive global trade agenda that is the only way to lift millions of people out of poverty and bring shared prosperity to the world.
We hope that the WTO will temporarily waive specific aspects of trade-related intellectual property rights (TRIPS). This will provide the know-how to manufacture vaccines in Africa, a key step in enabling access to vaccines for all as quickly as possible. This is the only way to ensure a global and coordinated effort to contain COVID-19. If there is an emergency we need to respond to, this is it.
A close friend of our Foundation since its very beginnings and member of the first Prize Committee, the new Director-General of the WTO can count on our full and determined support.
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