Castries, Saint Lucia: The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J Pierre, on February 22, 2023 hosted the Director General of the World Trade Organisation(WTO) as the Guest of Honour for the 44th Independence anniversary of Saint Lucia.
Notably, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a prominent economist and a global financial expert, carrying an expertise of more than 30 years in the field. She has worked in Asia, Africa, North America, Europe and Latin America before being appointed as Director General of the World Trade Organization on March 1, 2021.
PM Philip J Pierre portrayed her as a figure of inspiration, stating, ‘Lets be inspired by international figures, the likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who have pioneered their field. Â
As Pierre told, Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman to be the Finance and Foreign Minister of Nigeria as well as the first woman and African to be the head of the World Trade Organization.
Dr Iweala has been one of the most influential personalities and most powerful leaders in Nigeria. During her tenure as the Finance Minister of Nigeria, which spanned from 2003-2006 and from 2011 to 2015, she has won numerous awards for exceptional brilliance in the field. Becoming the WTO Director General , which is a globally influential organization is a remarkable feather in her cap.
She has paved the way towards the inclusion of women and asserted the importance of strong leadership that can thrive a nation towards a progressive future. Okonjo-Iweala founded the NOI polls, which is the first local organization that works on opinion research. She has also established the Center for the Study of African economies in Abuja, Nigeria.
