European Union insists on Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala as WTO DG – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says Europe has reiterated its support for Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said that Buhari confirmed this at the end of a video conference with Mr Charles Michel, President of the European Council, on Friday in Abuja.

Our correspondent reports that the president is leading Nigeria’s campaign for Okonjo-Iweala, the country’s former Minister of Finance, to emerge as the first black and first female WTO DG.

The Nigerian leader thanked the Council for its support for Nigeria’s candidate.

“Also discussed during the conference were issues bordering on debt relief for Africa, EU-African relations, recharge of the Lake Chad, which has currently shrunk to less than one-third of its usual size and throwing about 130 million people who depend on the Lake into dire straits,’’ Adesina said.

It was reported that the recharge of the Lake Chad is an issue the Nigerian President had vigorously canvassed at various global fora in recent times.

Buhari expressed appreciation to Michel for anticipated positive developments on the issues.