Inside Trade

September 21, 2025

Africa and The Middle East

USTR: Korean director-general candidate ‘must’ lead WTO

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative defended its choice for World Trade Organization director-general on Wednesday, arguing the organization “must” be led by someone with “hands-on” experience in trade and contending that person is Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee. The U.S. earlier on Wednesday told WTO members at an informal heads-of-delegation meeting in Geneva that it would not support Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, the candidate announced by the General Council chair as having the most support among the members...

WTO names Okonjo-Iweala consensus DG candidate; U.S. opposes

Editor’s note: This breaking-news story may be updated throughout the day. Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was named on Wednesday as the director-general candidate with the widest support, but her appointment remains in question after the U.S. told members it could not join the consensus for her to lead the WTO, according to the organization’s spokesman. The former Nigerian finance minister and former World Bank number-two would be the first woman and first African in the position. She must be formally...

WTO to unveil new leader on Wednesday; Okonjo-Iweala wins EU support

The World Trade Organization will announce its consensus director-general pick on Wednesday, with Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala picking up momentum after winning European Union support this week. As the final consultation phase ended on Tuesday, the other remaining candidate in the race, Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, was reportedly top of mind for the U.S., although the Trump administration continues to keep its cards close to its vest. General Council Chair David Walker, also New Zealand’s ambassador, will announce the consensus...

Nigerian, Korean candidates to vie for WTO top job in final round

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-hee of Korea are the two finalists for the World Trade Organization’s top job, the General Council chair announced on Thursday. New Zealand Ambassador David Walker told heads of delegations in Geneva that Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo had achieved the broadest support among members of the five remaining candidates. Amina Mohamed of Kenya, Liam Fox of the United Kingdom and Mohammed Moziad Al-Tuwaijri of Saudi Arabia will withdraw from the race, like the three who...

WTO director-general race down to two in Nigerian, Korean candidates

Editor's note: The WTO made the official announcement of the finalists on Thursday. Click here for more . The next World Trade Organization director-general will be a woman, with Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee reportedly set to be announced on Thursday as the final two candidates to advance to the final round of vetting. General Council Chair David Walker, New Zealand’s ambassador, will name Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo as the two candidates with the largest breadth of support...

USTR: Next round of Kenya talks could start by mid-October

The second round of U.S.-Kenya trade talks could start as soon as Oct. 21 and last until the first week of November, a USTR spokesman told Inside U.S. Trade . The “hard dates” of the negotiating session are still being finalized, the spokesman said. Negotiators are expected to exchange text on several chapters during the upcoming round, as Inside U.S. Trade recently reported . The sides are seeking to strike a comprehensive agreement the U.S. says could be a...

WTO to announce final two director-general candidates on Thursday

The World Trade Organization on Thursday will hold an informal heads-of-delegations meeting to name the final two director-general candidates, according to a Geneva-based trade official. Five candidates out of the original eight were chosen to move forward last month. The second consultation round concluded this week. General Council Chair David Walker, also New Zealand’s ambassador, will announce the results of those consultations at the Thursday meeting, further narrowing the field. The three candidates not chosen to move forward are expected...

Lawmakers urge Trump to protect plastics restrictions in U.S.-Kenya deal

As the U.S. negotiates a trade deal with Nairobi, it should resist any efforts to weaken Kenya’s restrictions on the importation and consumption of plastics and similar products, 62 lawmakers in the House and Senate told the president last week. The group of 61 Democrats and one Republican -- Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL) -- sent President Trump a letter on Oct. 1 urging him to oppose “efforts to weaken Kenya’s restrictions on importation or consumption of single-use plastic and other...

U.S. ambassador calls on Turkey to begin Section 232 quota negotiations

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield last week called on Ankara to “actually start” steel and aluminum quota negotiations with Washington, while a key Turkish official contended that -- despite an attempt -- there was “no progress in that area.” Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said national security-based tariffs on steel and aluminum and the removal of Turkey from the Generalized System of Preferences were “adversely affecting” the countries’ efforts to reach a $100 billion bilateral trade volume goal set...

Sources: U.S., Kenya to hold text-based negotiating round next month

Trade negotiators from Washington and Nairobi will exchange text during their next round of discussions in October, sources tell Inside U.S. Trade . The countries initiated the negotiations in July. That round, which lasted roughly two weeks, was focused primarily on determining the scope of a potential deal. The upcoming round will include substantial exchanges of text from both sides, those sources said. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative confirmed the second negotiating round would take place in October...

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