09 Mar 2021

DIGITALEUROPE congratulates Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her historic appointment as WTO Director General

DIGITALEUROPE comes together with seven of our sister associations to congratulate Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her historic appointment as Director General of the World Trade Organisation.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, new Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Credits: WTO

As the first woman and first African to hold this position, Dr Okonjo-Iweala has already blazed a trail. The challenges facing the global trade environment will require her formidable skills and immediate action, if the WTO’s role in opening markets, facilitating trade and levelling the global playing field is to be effective, for the benefit of all WTO members.

These challenges include:

Reform and strengthening of the WTO across all of its core functions;
A push for agreement on updated rules on eCommerce, crucial for the future growth of the global digital economy;
The need for expansion and implementation of the Information Technology Agreement, to ensure global free trade in ICT products;
Making sure the green and digital transformations go hand in hand, with new initiative on Trade and Climate.

Along with our industry partners, we look forward to working with Dr Okonjo-Iweala on these enormous but exciting challenges.

Read the full letter

Multi-association congratulatory letter to WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Signatories

Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl

Director-General, DIGITALEUROPE
Thomas Boué

Director General, Policy EMEA, BSA – The Software Alliance
Matthew Schruers

President, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA)
Pascal Kerneis

Managing Director, European Services Forum
Jason Oxman

President and CEO, The Information and Technology Industry Council (ITI)
Toyokazu Nagamune

Secretary-General, Japan Business Council in Europe
Keiichi Kawakami

Senior Executive Vice President, Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
John Neuffer

President and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association