Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

[Unknown_User]

Well done Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and about time too.

After former President Trump stopped her from becoming WTO director-general, Ngozi is set to receive unanimous backing for the role, with President Biden's blessings.

With a reputation for hard work and modesty, I believe she will do very well at the WTO but does have to get up to speed on trade negotiations a bit (that is trumps excuse for blocking her). It is also a double first for the WTO, as women and an African director-general is unprecedented.

Her life story is quite amazing, from seeing her mother kidnapped in the Niger Delta to getting the Paris Club to write off damaging debts, Ngozi will be a colourful addition to the WTO.

Let's now sit back and watch **'Okonjo-Wahala', shake up those stuffy suits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngozi_Okonjo-Iweala

• Wahala meaning "trouble" in Nigerian Pidgin.

[Biggy Stardust]

Congratulations on her getting the top job.

Why does it matter what her gender & ethnicity is provided she was appointed purely on merit? If we're unbiased then it shouldn't make any difference.

[Unknown_User]

Biggy Stardust said:

Congratulations on her getting the top job.

Why does it matter what her gender & ethnicity is provided she was appointed purely on merit? If we're unbiased then it shouldn't make any difference.

That's a good question and when an organisation like the WTO hasn't had a director-general that is female or African, then maybe we should ask the question why it has taken so long. Surely we should embrace that the (Trump free) WTO can now appoint a DG that is presentative of around 60% of the worlds population. Let's not forget that there are around 1.3 billion people in Africa and around 3.8 billion of the worlds population is female.

[Biggy Stardust]

Unknown_User said:

That's a good question and when an organisation like the WTO hasn't had a director-general that is female or African, then maybe we should ask the question why it has taken so long. Surely we should embrace that the (Trump free) WTO can now appoint a DG that is presentative of around 60% of the worlds population. Let's not forget that there are around 1.3 billion people in Africa and around 3.8 billion of the worlds population is female.

Maybe they hire based on merit & the previous holders got their jobs on that basis rather than consideration of gender/colour/whatever. I certainly hire on that basis.

It's a theory worth consideration.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Never heard of her, but anyone who Trump opposed is ok with me.

[Unknown_User]

Biggy Stardust said:

Maybe they hire based on merit & the previous holders got their jobs on that basis rather than consideration of gender/colour/whatever. I certainly hire on that basis.

It's a theory worth consideration.

And the only person that blocked Ngozi was Trump. The only one. So unless all the others that were (and now are) going vote for Ngozi are wrong, the question should be why did Trump block someone that is obviously suitable for the job?

[FourWheelDrift]

She sits on the board of Twitter too. I wonder if they had any input from her before banning Trump

[amusingduck]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Never heard of her, but anyone who Trump opposed is ok with me.

Qassem Soleimani?

[Biggy Stardust]

Unknown_User said:

And the only person that blocked Ngozi was Trump. The only one. So unless all the others that were (and now are) going vote for Ngozi are wrong, the question should be why did Trump block someone that is obviously suitable for the job?

I think many will support the position that Trump is a fool.

I'm still curious why the fuss about her skin colour & gender as they're totally irrelevant if she's been hired due to being the best applicant. Wim D-Berg was the best man for a similar job & nobody was fussed about his sex & ethnicity.

[Unknown_User]

Biggy Stardust said:

I think many will support the position that Trump is a fool.

I'm still curious why the fuss about her skin colour & gender as they're totally irrelevant if she's been hired due to being the best applicant. Wim D-Berg was the best man for a similar job & nobody was fussed about his sex & ethnicity.

To be fair, nobody has mentioned her skin colour.

Do you think it's slightly odd that an organisation as global as the WTO has never had a DG from a group that represents over 50% of the global population?

[anonymous-user]

Biggy Stardust said:

I'm still curious why the fuss about her skin colour & gender as they're totally irrelevant if she's been hired due to being the best applicant. Wim D-Berg was the best man for a similar job & nobody was fussed about his sex & ethnicity.

You're right that it shouldn't matter, but it does.

If someone went from a council estate to being Prime Minister it'd be notable for similar reasons.

[Ayahuasca]

Unknown_User said:

Biggy Stardust said:

Congratulations on her getting the top job.

Why does it matter what her gender & ethnicity is provided she was appointed purely on merit? If we're unbiased then it shouldn't make any difference.

That's a good question and when an organisation like the WTO hasn't had a director-general that is female or African, then maybe we should ask the question why it has taken so long. Surely we should embrace that the (Trump free) WTO can now appoint a DG that is presentative of around 60% of the worlds population. Let's not forget that there are around 1.3 billion people in Africa and around 3.8 billion of the worlds population is female.

Yes, but the DG of the WTO is not hired to be a representative, s/he is hired to do a job.

[Harrison Bergeron]

Now what are her links to China?

[Unknown_User]

Ayahuasca said:

Unknown_User said:

Biggy Stardust said:

Congratulations on her getting the top job.

Why does it matter what her gender & ethnicity is provided she was appointed purely on merit? If we're unbiased then it shouldn't make any difference.

That's a good question and when an organisation like the WTO hasn't had a director-general that is female or African, then maybe we should ask the question why it has taken so long. Surely we should embrace that the (Trump free) WTO can now appoint a DG that is presentative of around 60% of the worlds population. Let's not forget that there are around 1.3 billion people in Africa and around 3.8 billion of the worlds population is female.

Yes, but the DG of the WTO is not hired to be a representative, s/he is hired to do a job.

And everyone that could have voted for Ngozi did vote for her. With the exception of a former President.

Do you think Trump had an exceptional record for hiring the right people?

[crofty1984]

Unknown_User said:

With a reputation for hard work and modesty, I believe she will do very well at the WTO but does have to get up to speed on trade negotiations a bit (that is trumps excuse for blocking her). It is also a double first for the WTO, as women and an African director-general is unprecedented.

Her life story is quite amazing, from seeing her mother kidnapped in the Niger Delta to getting the Paris Club to write off damaging debts, Ngozi will be a colourful addition to the WTO.

Let's now sit back and watch **'Okonjo-Wahala', shake up those stuffy suits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngozi_Okonjo-Iweala

• Wahala meaning "trouble" in Nigerian Pidgin.

Wonder why Trump didn't get on with her?

[vonuber]

Biggy Stardust said:

Congratulations on her getting the top job.

Why does it matter what her gender & ethnicity is provided she was appointed purely on merit? If we're unbiased then it shouldn't make any difference.

Because people aren't unbiased, are they,

[s1962a]

MrMan001 said:

Biggy Stardust said:

I'm still curious why the fuss about her skin colour & gender as they're totally irrelevant if she's been hired due to being the best applicant. Wim D-Berg was the best man for a similar job & nobody was fussed about his sex & ethnicity.

You're right that it shouldn't matter, but it does.

If someone went from a council estate to being Prime Minister it'd be notable for similar reasons.

It makes a difference for sure, but probably not so much me and you but the next generation. Little girls who might be similar to Ms Okonjo-Iweala might be inspired, just like they might by Kamala, or the young lady that wrote a poem at Bidens inauguration. Same way a council kid becoming the next PM would inspire the next generation.

[amusingduck]

Unknown_User said:

To be fair, nobody has mentioned her skin colour.

Do you think it's slightly odd that an organisation as global as the WTO has never had a DG from a group that represents over 50% of the global population?

What's odd about it? She's the seventh DG in total, and there have been both African and Female Deputy DG's. Does someone have to hold the top spot for it to be considered representation?

It seems a little inconsiderate to lump 54 countries together and say "ah yes, Africa is represented", as though they're a homogenous bloc who are all basically the same.

[Ayahuasca]

Unknown_User said:

To be fair, nobody has mentioned her skin colour.

Do you think it's slightly odd that an organisation as global as the WTO has never had a DG from a group that represents over 50% of the global population?

Does that group represent over 50% of global trade? For the WTO, that is perhaps a more pertinent factor. As I mentioned above, she is there to do a job, not to be a figurehead.

[Unknown_User]

Ayahuasca said:

Does that group represent over 50% of global trade? For the WTO, that is perhaps a more pertinent factor. As I mentioned above, she is there to do a job, not to be a figurehead.

Ngozi can be both!

Africa is a continent that has its own challenges and having spent time myself, outside the Western world, it is good to see someone you can relate to doing well. Hopefully it will inspire young African girls and boys to do well at school and if they do well, there is no limit at what they can achieve. Just look at what Elon Musk, a fellow African of Ngozi has achieved.

I believe this is a good thing, what says you?