GENEVA: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala took the reins of the World Trade Organization Monday with a daunting to-do list, not least tackling the global economic crisis sparked by the pandemic.
The former Nigerian finance and foreign minister, the first woman and the first African ever to lead the WTO, is also hoping to kickstart long-blocked trade negotiations.
"I am coming into one of the most important institutions in the world and we have a lot of work to do," the 66-year-old told journalists as she arrived for her first day on the job in Geneva.
"I feel ready to go."
Known as Dr. Ngozi, the development economist has hit the ground running, taking the helm of the global trade body as it kicks off its annual General Council meeting to discuss a range of pressing matters.
A major issue to be discussed during the two-day meeting is a controversial push for the WTO to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines.
Delegates have at least been able to agree a date for the WTO's next ministerial conference, which was scheduled for last year but postponed due to the pandemic. It is now set to be held in Geneva from November 29.
The diplomats are also debating how to breathe life into international negotiations on fishery subsidies that have been blocked for two decades -- an issue that Ngozi described as "one of my top priorities".
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