Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been appointed the first woman and the first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General. The Nigerian-American economist, who was formerly the Nigerian Finance Minister and Managing Director of the World Bank, will begin her tenure in March. She is also the African Union’s Special Envoy to Mobilize International Economic Support for Continental Fight Against COVID-19. As CNBC noted, Okonjo-Iweala grew up during the Nigerian Civil War, “during which her family reportedly lost all their savings.” As finance minister, she refused to negotiate with kidnappers who took her mother hostage and demanded she resign. Okonjo-Iweala refused, and her mother was released.
