The South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has withdrawn her candidacy to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO).
This leaves former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the only standing candidate for the position.
According to a statement from Korea’s trade ministry on Friday, the decision was made after discussions with the United States and other major nations, taking various issues into account “comprehensively” including the need to revitalize the multilateral organization.
Meanwhile, in the United States, some former government officials have called on President Joe Biden to endorse Okonjo-Iweala after the attempts made by the Trump administration to block her selection.
Despite the back and forth by the selection committee, the former minister said she remains positive of becoming the first African and first female director-general in the 25-year history of the WTO despite ‘hiccups’.