Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Named Among Time’s 100 Most Influential People In The World

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named in Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people for 2021.

Time’s annual list of 100 most influential people in the world, which was released on Wednesday, places the individuals in five categories: Titans, pioneers, artists, leaders and icons.

Okonjo-Iweala, who became the first woman and first African to lead the WTO in March, is the only Nigerian on the 2021 list which also had other global influential personalities.

She was included in the “leaders” category, alongside Joe Biden, president of the United States of America; Kamala Harris, US vice-president; Xi Jinping, president of China, and Narendra Modi, prime minister of India.

Other notable honourees of the 2021 Time 100 Most Influential People include the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan, Naomi Osaka, Britney Spears, Angelique Kidjo, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and others.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Hails Okonjo-Iweala

Speaking on Okonjo-Iweala’s efforts in an article on the selection, Prince Harry and Meghan said the former Nigerian minister of finance “knows how to get things done”, and praised her work at the helm of affairs at WTO.

“What will it take to vaccinate the world? Unity, cooperation—and leaders like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,” the couple’s comment, published in the magazine, reads.

“As the first African and first woman to lead the World Trade Organization, a 164-member group of nations that oversees trade across the world, Okonjo-Iweala took on the role of director-general this March at a watershed moment for our global health and well-being. Make no mistake; her job affects every person, family and community.

“As we face a constant barrage of vaccine misinformation, bureaucratic slowdowns across both government and industry, and the rise of variants that underscore the urgency of the situation, Okonjo-Iweala has shown us that to end the pandemic; we must work together to equip every nation with equitable vaccine access.

“Our conversations with her have been as informative as they are energizing. This is partly because, despite the challenges, she knows how to get things done—even between those who don’t always agree—and does so with grace and a smile that warms the coldest of rooms.

“The fragility of our world right now cannot be overstated. Just over a quarter of the nearly 8 billion global population is fully vaccinated. Achieving vaccine equity is a global duty of compassion for one another. Our hope is that guided by strong leaders like Ngozi, and we can get there soon.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was also appointed as a member of the Economic Advisory Council in South Africa.