The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday joined Japan and other countries in offering its backing to a former Nigerian finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the next head of the World Trade Organization.

Former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, seen in this undated file photo, is a step closer to becoming the World Trade Organization's director general after another candidate and South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung Hee announced her withdrawal on Feb. 5, 2021. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The support, a shift from the policy of the previous U.S. administration, will pave the way for the Geneva-based trade body to officially select her as the WTO's next director general, a post that has been vacant since Roberto Azevedo stepped down on Aug. 31. She will be first woman to head the WTO.

The Biden administration is "pleased to express its strong support for the candidacy" of Okonjo-Iweala, while it "respects" the decision of South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung Hee, announced on Friday, to withdraw from the race, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a press release.

The administration also "looks forward to working with a new WTO director general to find paths forward to achieve necessary substantive and procedural reform of the WTO," it said.

Both Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo had made it to the final round of consideration for the top job. In October, Okonjo-Iweala was recommended for director general at an informal meeting of member countries on the understanding that she has secured support from a large number of countries.

But the situation came to a standstill due to strong opposition from the then administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration has been critical of the WTO and its blocking of the appointment of any new judges to the trade body's appellate panel left the dispute-settling system unable to function.


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