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STORY: WTO / DIRECTOR-GENERAL APPOINTMENT
TRT: 06:01
SOURCE: WTO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 29 NOVEMBER 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, pan right, WTO headquarters exteriors
2. Med shot, pan right, WTO logo at entrance
3. Med shot, WTO 30th anniversary logo
4. Wide shot, pan right, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrives for the Special Meeting of the General Council
5. Wide shot, pan right, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrives at the podium
6. Wide shot, officials take their seats for the meeting
7. Wide shot, pan left, meeting under way
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Petter Ølberg, Chair of the General Council, Norway:
“The General Council formally appoints Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for a second term from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2029. So decided."
9. Wide shot, zoom out, Amb. Petter Ølberg hits gavel as decision is taken, followed by applause
10. Med shot, Amb. Petter Ølberg offers flowers to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
11. Med shot, officials at podium as hall applauds
12. SOUNDBITE (English)Petter Ølberg, Chair of the General Council, Norway:
"Director-General, please accept my heartfelt, honest congratulations on your successful reelection. I wish you lots of success in your new term at the helm of the organization, in the service of the WTO, its members, and the multilateral trading system."
13. Wide shot, pan right, meeting under way
14. SOUNDBITE (English)Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO:
“I want to say a very heartfelt thank you to all members. The fact that this was done by consensus, the hall is full, I'm really, really grateful. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it. And I will endeavor to do my best.”
15. Wide shot, pan left, delegates applaud decision
16. Med shot, pan left, delegations during meeting
17. Med shot, pan right, delegations during meeting
18. Close up, delegate takes photo during meeting
19. Med shot, pan left, officials on podium during meeting
20. Med shot, Deputy Directors-General Angela Ellard, Jean-Marie Paugam, and Chief of Staff Bright Okogu during meeting
21. Wide shot, meeting under way
22. Wide shot, delegates ask to speak during meeting
23. Med shot, pan left, delegations during meeting
24. Wide shot, meeting under way
25. Med shot, podium during meeting as seen in profile
26. Med shot, Amb. Petter Ølberg and Okonjo-Iweala pose for photo
27. Med shot, pan right, Okonjo-Iweala arrives for press conference
28. Med shot, pan right, Okonjo-Iweala arrives for press conference
29. Wide shot, pan right, press conference under way
30. SOUNDBITE (English) Petter Ølberg, Chair of the General Council, Norway:
"The General Council of the World Trade Organization has reappointed Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General for a second four-year term. The decision reflects widespread recognition of her exceptional leadership and strategic vision for the future of the WTO."
31. Med shot, journalists taking pictures
32. SOUNDBITE (English) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO:
“I'm grateful to the membership for the election to a second term. We have a full agenda to deliver for the people of this world that we are working for and for the planet, and we fully intend to get to work immediately, no stopping, to try and deliver on these results. I'm grateful for the honor of serving this organization and for the trust that the membership has put in me.”
33. Med shot, journalists taking notes during press conference
34. SOUNDBITE (English) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO:
“Until we get specifics in terms of what is planned, I think it would be a bit premature to try to pronounce on on these issues. We look forward to working with the administration. We are grateful to the administration we worked with. Now we are looking forward to working with the new administration.”
35. Med shot, cameraman during press conference
36. SOUNDBITE (English) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO:
“I look very much forward to working with President Trump, with all the new people who will be appointed. I'm eager for it.”
37. Med shot, photographer during press conference
38. SOUNDBITE (English) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO:
“I think that we should, in Geneva, try to deal with the legacy issues. When I say that, I mean, let us try to conclude on those negotiations that have been pending for some time and leave only 1 or 2 files for the Ministerial so that ministers can really focus their attention. The dispute settlement system, if was not completed, should be something that at MC14, we should take. I'm not saying we should wait till we get there. I want us to do all the work beforehand so that ministers can bless an outcome there. Agriculture definitely need to make a breakthrough there because we are talking food security. We are talking livelihoods in many developing countries, those that certainly two I would like to see.”
39. Med shot, officials during press conference
40. Close up, journalist taking notes
41. Close up, journalist taking pictures
The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has agreed by consensus to reappoint Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General for a second four-year term, set to begin on 1 September 2025. This decision reflects broad recognition of her exceptional leadership and strategic vision for the future of the WTO.
The reappointment process, initiated on 8 October 2024, was overseen by Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council. With no additional nominations submitted by the 8 November deadline, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stood as the sole candidate. The process was conducted in a fully open and transparent manner, adhering to the WTO’s “Procedures for the Appointment of Directors-General” (WT/L/509).
During a special General Council meeting on 28-29 November 2024, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala outlined her forward-looking vision for the WTO. Following her presentation and a Q&A session with members, the Council formally endorsed her reappointment by consensus.
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