Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled on Wednesday that the United States was violating international trading laws by requiring Hong Kong products to be labeled as “Made in China.” The U.S. origin marking requirement has violated the country’s obligation under the trade body’s rules, said a …
Read More »Crisis in Ukraine could slash global trade growth by half in 2022: WTO
The conflict has pushed up food and energy prices, and reduced the availability of goods exported by Russia and Ukraine Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has dealt a severe blow to the global economy, reducing forecasted global trade growth for 2022 from the 4.7 …
Read More »The world must avoid another food crisis
It is becoming clear that the Ukraine war’s economic and humanitarian repercussions – especially rising food prices – will be felt far beyond Europe, and international community must act now. COMMENT | NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA | The war in Ukraine is causing immense, heart-wrenching human suffering. At the World Trade Organization, …
Read More »Inside Africa’s development dilemma
The dark side of African Continental Free Trade Area Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Africa’s heads of state on March 21, 2018 descended onto the hills of Kigali, Rwanda, to sign the long awaited agreement to create the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that encompasses more than 1.2billion …
Read More »New female leaders in int’l trade inspire women to enter the game
WTO members made history February 15, 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | One week into her new job as the seventh director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment as head …
Read More »WTO Chief Okonjo-Iweala welcomes apology from Swiss newspaper for ‘racist and sexist’ headline
Kampala, Uganda | Ronald Musoke | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has welcomed an apology from Aargauer Zeitung a Swiss publication which on Feb.09 published a story about her with what online readers referred to as “a racist and sexist headline.” The distasteful headline, “This grandmother will be the new chief of …
Read More »WTO’s first African director-general can help rebalance global trade
WTO members made history February 15, 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | The appointment of Nigeria-born Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first African director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) can help rebalance …
Read More »Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is WTO Director-General
WTO members made history February 15, 2021 when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General Washington, US | THE INDEPENDENT | When she takes office on March 1, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first African to …
Read More »African free trade bloc launches
Opportunities, Challenges, and why full implementation of the historic pact may take years ANALYSIS | THE INDEPENDENT | African countries began officially trading under the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Jan.01. It is a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 to stimulate intra-African trade. In …
Read More »WTO: Okonjo-Iweala facing block from US
Unclear if move is attempt to sabotage trade body much criticised by Trump | THE INDEPENDENT | The U.S. is blocking the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next head of the World Trade Organization despite the former finance minister of Nigeria winning the overwhelming backing of the WTO’s 164 …
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