Uhuru endorses Amina’s nomination for WTO post
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has been thrust into the international limelight for the second time after Kenya nominated her to head the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
This is the second time President Uhuru Kenyatta is fronting her for an international job after her unsuccessful run for the position of chairperson of the African Union Commission in January 2017.
If elected, she will join Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, the current Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and whose successful tenure ends in August next year as two Kenyans serving a coveted UN position.
The election of Mohammed as Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) would mean her career will come full circle as she is said to have honed her skills along the corridors of the United Nations.
Mohamed, 58, threw her hat in the ring just before nominations closed, in a contest, which will also includes three women and three Africans.
Amina alongside five other contestants, among them two Africans, the contestants are seeking to succeed the current Director-General, Roberto Azevêdo who announced he will step down in August this year.
The six candidates apart from Amina are from Egypt, Mexico, Moldova, Nigeria and South Korea.
Commenting about Kenya’s candidature, President Uhuru said the country is believes in strengthening multilateral institutions and is convinced in the urgent need to revitalise the WTO to serve the needs of large and small nations, adding that it is time for Africa to take up her responsibility of serving at the helm of WTO.
“Kenya offers Amina C. Mohammed, a uniquely qualified person, to lead the WTO at this critical time.
If selected, she would be the first African and indeed, the first woman to serve at the helm of the World Trade Organisation,” Uhuru said in a statement.
Amina had contested against Azevêdo in 2013, but lost on a decision made by consensus among member states.
The other contestants include; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria), Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh (Egypt), Jesús Seade Kuri (Mexico), Tudor Ulianovschi (Moldova) and Yoo Myung-hee (Republic of Korea).
The career diplomat, understands the processes of the WTO, having chaired all its decision making bodies including the ministerial conference, general council, dispute settlement body and the trade policy review body.
