Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Makes Time 100 Most Influential People List
World Trade Organization’s Director-General (WTO-DG), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been listed on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list alongside Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan. Okonjo-Iweala is the only Nigerian on the 2021 Time 100 Most Influential People list.
Time 100 annual list of most influential people in the world recognises “people whose ideas, example, talent, or discoveries transform the world we live in”. Released on Wednesday, September 15, Time named the individuals under five categories – Titans, pioneers, artists, leaders and icons.
Okonjo-Iweala, who made history as the first woman and first African to lead the WTO in March, was included in the “leaders” category, alongside Joe Biden, President of the United States of America; Kamala Harris, US Vice President; Xi Jinping, President of China, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.
A renowned global finance expert with over 31 years of experience, she has worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Okonjo-Iweala was a two-time finance minister – first under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2006 – and secondly, under President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015. From June to August 2006, she also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.
She was previously Chair of the Board of GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance and African Union Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support in the fight against COVID-19.
Okonjo-Iweala is an alumnus of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In the post accompanying her selection, Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave an impressive statement about her:
“What will it take to vaccinate the world? Unity, cooperation—and leaders like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.”
“As the first African and first woman to lead the World Trade Organization, a 164-member group of nations that oversees trade across the world, Okonjo-Iweala took on the role of director-general this March at a watershed moment for our global health and well-being. Make no mistake, her job affects every person, family and community.
“As we face a constant barrage of vaccine misinformation, bureaucratic slowdowns across both government and industry, and the rise of variants that underscore the urgency of the situation, Okonjo-Iweala has shown us that to end the pandemic, we must work together to equip every nation with equitable vaccine access.”
As well as her recent recognition on Time 100, Okonjo-Iweala has received notable awards including the 2020 International Service Award of the World Affairs Councils of America and Forbes African of the Year in December 2020.
Congratulations Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
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