Podcasts about okonjo iweala

As US President Donald Trump threatens trade tariffs, the We Society invited the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to share her thoughts during this period of uncertainty. The first woman and the first African to serve as Director General of the WTO, Dr Okonjo-Iweala also gives her perspectives on women in leadership positions and her history of fighting corruption in Nigeria that led to the kidnapping of her elderly mother. This is the final interview in Season 7 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences  which tackles the big questions through a social science lens. On this podcast, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain's top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society's most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on wesociety@acss.org.uk and tell us who we should be speaking to or follow us on X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

In an interview with FRANCE 24 in Geneva, the head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaks to Georja Calvin-Smith about her take on the vital components of Africa's trade and development roadmap.

For nearly 30 years, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been the bedrock of the global trading system, serving as a negotiating forum for its 164 members, providing a system for resolving trade disputes, and acting as an essential clearinghouse for trade‐​related information. Over three‐​quarters of cross‐​border trade is carried out based on members' WTO commitments, fostering an environment that has seen global trade soar from $5 trillion in 1995, the year of the WTO's founding, to almost $25 trillion in 2022.Paradoxically, despite decades of success and the overwhelming benefits of trade for developed and developing countries alike, the WTO faces growing challenges and growing skepticism—particularly among US policymakers—regarding the benefits of globalization.It is our pleasure to welcome Dr. Ngozi Okonjo‐​Iweala, director‐​general of the WTO, to the Cato Institute for a frank discussion on the threats facing both the WTO and globalization more broadly, as well as their implications for the global economy, developing countries, and the world's most vulnerable people. Indeed, there may be no better person to discuss these topics than Okonjo‐​Iweala, given her current position at the WTO and her distinguished 40‐​year career as an economist, international development expert, Nigerian government official and finance expert. We'd be thrilled for you to join us for this important conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ECB President Christine Lagarde, IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath and WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speak with Bloomberg's Tom Keene at the IMF Meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ECB President Christine Lagarde, IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath and WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speak with Bloomberg's Tom Keene at the IMF Meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Premier Li Qiang has stressed the importance of making concerted efforts in resuming world economic growth and addressing global challenges, ahead of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum.在第十四届新领军者年会（又称夏季达沃斯论坛）召开之前，国务院总理李强强调了共同努力恢复世界经济增长、应对全球性挑战的重要性。He made the remarks on Monday when meeting with Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, in Tianjin, where the forum will be held. The event, themed "Entrepreneurship: The Driving Force of the Global Economy", runs from Tuesday through Thursday.6月25日，李强在天津会见了世界经济论坛主席克劳斯·施瓦布和世界贸易组织总干事恩戈齐·奥孔乔-伊维拉，发表了上述讲话。夏季达沃斯论坛主题是“企业家精神：世界经济驱动力”，将于6月27日至29日举行。In his meeting with Schwab, Li said China's cooperation with the WEF has been fruitful since Beijing started its alliance with the forum in 1979, which was marked by the arrival of a Chinese delegation in Davos.在会见施瓦布时，李强表示，自1979年中国代表团抵达达沃斯、中国参加世界经济论坛以来，中国与世界经济论坛的合作富有成效。In the age of globalization, with interests intertwined, it is an irreversible trend that all countries must coordinate with each other and complement each other's advantages, he said.李强指出，世界经济历经全球化发展，各国相互协作、优势互补是不可逆转的历史潮流。He called on all countries to promote mutual trust, reduce misunderstanding, and achieve mutual benefits through candid and in-depth dialogue so as to overcome common challenges.李强呼吁各国通过坦诚深入的对话沟通，增进了解与互信、减少误判，坚持互利共赢，携手战胜共同挑战。China will stay on the path of peaceful development, keep expanding opening-up and share with the world its development opportunities, Li said.李强表示，中国将坚定不移走和平发展道路，坚定不移扩大开放，与世界分享发展机遇。Schwab said the world benefits from China's development and the WEF is ready to encourage all parties to deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation for mutual benefits.施瓦布表示，全世界都从中国发展中受益，世经论坛愿推动各方加强沟通、增进互信、扩大合作，实现互利共赢。When meeting with Okonjo-Iweala, Li reiterated China's readiness to work with all parties to support multilateralism and free trade while opposing unilateralism and protectionism.在会见伊维拉时，李强重申中方愿同各方一道，支持多边主义和自由贸易，反对单边主义和保护主义。The premier said that certain countries' rhetoric of "reducing independence" and "de-risking" is in fact politicizing and drawing ideological lines in trade issues.李强表示，一些国家提出的所谓“降依赖”“去风险”，本质上是把经贸问题政治化、意识形态化。Such acts violate the basic principles that the WTO advocates, threaten the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system and disrupt the stability of global industrial and supply chains, he said.这种行为有违世贸组织倡导的自由贸易和非歧视的基本原则，冲击多边贸易体制的权威性有效性，也扰乱全球产业链供应链的安全稳定。Li said China will work with all parties to push for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, promote world economic recovery and better deal with global challenges.李强表示，中方将与各方一道，提升贸易投资自由化便利化水平，促进世界经济复苏，更好应对全球性挑战。As the biggest developing country and a responsible major nation, China will undertake its responsibilities, which are consistent with its own economic development, and safeguard the lawful interests of all developing countries, Li added.作为最大的发展中国家和负责任大国，中国将承担与自身经济发展水平和能力相符的责任义务，维护发展中国家合法权益。Okonjo-Iweala said that decoupling will undermine global economic growth, adding that the WTO expects to build a strong partnership with China and make new contributions to safeguard the multilateral trading system.伊维拉表示，“脱钩”将损害全球经济发展，世贸组织期待与中方构建强有力的伙伴关系，为维护多边贸易体制作出新的贡献。Aligning of strategies战略调整The Chinese premier also held a meeting with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Beijing on Monday, calling for both countries to build a closer community with a shared future and take bilateral ties to a higher level amid global turbulence.6月25日，李强还在北京会见来访的越南总理范明政，呼吁两国携手构建更加紧密的命运共同体，在复杂动荡的世界局势中把双边关系推上新台阶。Li urged the two sides to accelerate the alignment of their strategies with the Belt and Road Initiative as the priority, improve the efficiency of railway transportation between the two countries and promote opening of ports and infrastructure connectivity.李强表示，双方要以“一带一路”倡议为重点，做好战略对接，深入挖掘两国铁路运输效能潜力，推进口岸开放升格和设施联通。The Vietnamese prime minister, who is paying an official visit to China on the sidelines of the Summer Davos Forum, said Vietnam firmly upholds the one-China policy and will deepen cooperation with China and manage their differences to achieve common prosperity.在夏季达沃斯论坛期间，对中国进行正式访问的越南总理表示，越方坚定奉行一个中国政策，越方愿同中方共同合作，管控好分歧，实现共同繁荣。Forum英/ˈfɔːrəm/ 美/ˈfɔːrəm/n.讨论会Vietnam英/ˌviːetˈnɑːm; ˌviːetˈnæm/ 美/ˌviːetˈnɑːm/n.越南

Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala offer us lessons from some of the world's most powerful women: Jacinda Ardern, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Michelle Bachelet, Erna Solberg, Hillary Clinton, Theresa May, Joyce Banda, and Christine Lagarde. They researched 8 hypothesis with these amazing women and synthesized their findings into 10 lessons reviewed and discussed in this episode. In addition to Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala we call on Brené Brown and Mel Robbins to shed some light on guilt, blame and work-life balance – all issues that came up in the book. Here are links to resources mentioned in the episode: Women & Leadership by Julia Gillard & Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Episode 52 Personal Branding: Can't Leave Home Without One – Let's Craft Yours! Episode 11 Honoring a Leader: Fred Chavez, Ed.D. Brene Brown on Blame Brene Brown on Guilt in Atlas of the Heart Mel Robbins on Work-Life Balance Hope you enjoy the episode! Ways to reach Yo: eMail yo@yocanny.com Public FB group: Girl, Take the Lead! https://www.facebook.com/groups/272025931481748/?ref=share IG: https://www.instagram.com/yocanny LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yocanny/ YouTube: @girltakethelead

The World Trade Organisation was set up in 1995 to enable the multilateral trading system. But in the past decade, it's come under pressure. Now, the global economy looks set to enter an unstable new phase. Host Anne McElvoy and Henry Curr, The Economist's economics editor, travel to the WTO's headquarters in Geneva to ask Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general, how trade can mitigate the pain. They discuss how supply chains need to change and assess the trade-off between efficiency and equality. Dr Okonjo-Iweala examines the rift between China and America and how the WTO needs to reform. Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Trade Organisation was set up in 1995 to enable the multilateral trading system. But in the past decade, it's come under pressure. Now, the global economy looks set to enter an unstable new phase. Host Anne McElvoy and Henry Curr, The Economist's economics editor, travel to the WTO's headquarters in Geneva to ask Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general, how trade can mitigate the pain. They discuss how supply chains need to change and assess the trade-off between efficiency and equality. Dr Okonjo-Iweala examines the rift between China and America and how the WTO needs to reform. Please subscribe to The Economist for full access to print, digital and audio editions:www.economist.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has warned that real global gross domestic product might fall to five per cent if the world economy decouples into self-contained trading blocs. Members were urged at the opening session of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to demonstrate that the body could deliver for the international community and the people it serves. She pointed out that the world was grappling with uncertainty and crises on multiple fronts. Okonjo-Iweala urged members to avoid allowing geopolitical tensions to spill over into the work at the WTO as the consequences for the multilateral trading system would be severe.

The World Trade Organization chief voiced cautious optimism as global trade ministers gathered to tackle food security threatened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, overfishing and equitable access to Covid vaccines. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says to expect a rocky, bumpy road with a few landmines along the way. She however told journalists that she was cautiously optimistic that the more than 100 attending ministers would manage to agree on at least one or two of a long line of pressing issues, and that would be a success.

In this episode of the McKinsey Global Institute's Forward Thinking podcast, guest interviewer Acha Leke talks with Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala. Acha Leke is a McKinsey senior partner in Johannesburg and is chairman of McKinsey's Africa region. Okonjo-Iweala became director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in March 2021—the first woman and the first African to serve in this role. Okonjo-Iweala talks about her first few months leading the WTO and some of the initiatives underway, and discusses the challenge of inclusive and sustainable growth in the years ahead. She answers questions including: — How has the COVID-19 crisis affected world trade? — As trade rebounds, what will it take to ensure that trade patterns are much more inclusive? — How do emerging economies ensure that they have the access they need to vaccines and build the capacity to manufacture them? What role can trade and the WTO have? — What is the interplay between growth, inclusivity, and sustainability? — What else do we need to do to ensure that women and SMEs have access to trade? — What do you see as some of the opportunities emerging from the pandemic crisis? This conversation was recorded in December 2021. To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/NgoziOkonjoIweala Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode of the McKinsey Global Institute's Forward Thinking podcast, guest interviewer Acha Leke talks with Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala. Acha Leke is a McKinsey senior partner in Johannesburg and is chairman of McKinsey's Africa region. Okonjo-Iweala became director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in March 2021—the first woman and the first African to serve in this role. Okonjo-Iweala talks about her first few months leading the WTO and some of the initiatives underway, and discusses the challenge of inclusive and sustainable growth in the years ahead. She answers questions including: — How has the COVID-19 crisis affected world trade? — As trade rebounds, what will it take to ensure that trade patterns are much more inclusive? — How do emerging economies ensure that they have the access they need to vaccines and build the capacity to manufacture them? What role can trade and the WTO have? — What is the interplay between growth, inclusivity, and sustainability? — What else do we need to do to ensure that women and SMEs have access to trade? — What do you see as some of the opportunities emerging from the pandemic crisis? This conversation was recorded in December 2021. To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/NgoziOkonjoIweala Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more. Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:15) >

The Ukraine war has led the World Trade Organization to cut its global trade growth forecast for this year. WTO boss Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says the previous 4.7% growth forecast has been cut to 2.5% due to the impact of the war and related policies. She says disruptions would make food more costly, saying that a food crisis is brewing. Dr Okonjo-Iweala told the BBC that although Russia and Ukraine only make up about 2.5% of global merchandise exports, they are very, very significant in certain sectors.

My guest this episode is Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (TRIUM Class of 2016). Aig is a world class finance and social entrepreneur. In 2002 he acquired (with his friend and colleague Herbert Wigwe) a struggling Nigerian bank for around US$10 million. After 11 years of his leadership as the CEO, the bank had a market capitalisation of around US$1.3 billion and had become one of the most important banks, not only in Nigeria, but across Africa. He tells the story of the acquisition, turnaround and rapid scaling of Access Bank in his new book, Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa. In this episode we discuss this fascinating story of success. It is one of the best examples of the power of process innovation, values, and vision, as drivers of business success, that I have ever come across. Aig's true genius is his ability to engineer opportunity from what others would see as almost unsurmountable obstacles to success.In addition to business lessons to be learned from his experience, Aig is one of the most thoughtful and careful commentators on African development challenges and opportunities you will find. From discussions on the consequences of corruption, to the proper role of civic institutions and regulatory bodies, to the role and responsibility of the private sector for economic development, Aig's insights and knowledge are unmatched.This is one of my favourite episodes yet – don't miss it!Citations:93 Days (2016). Directed and co-produced by Steve Gukas. Written by Paul RowlstonAig-Imoukhuede, Aigboje (2021) Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa. Red Door Press.Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2018) Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines. MIT Press.Host: Matt Mulford | Guest: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede | Editor: Théophile Letort See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for the National Identification Number - SIM data verification to October 31.They said the decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics.It also followed a review of the progress of the exercise which indicated significant progress hence the need to consolidate the gains of the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process across the country.They added that there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.Socio-Economic Rights Group Sues President Over Gag Order On Reporting Of Terrorist AttacksThe Socio-Economic Rights and AccountabilityProject and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development have filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, over the order to stop journalists and broadcast stations from reporting details of terrorist attacks and victims.They are also seeking an order to compel and direct the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed to withdraw the directive asking journalists and broadcast stations to stop reporting details on terrorist attacks and victims, as the directive is unlawful and inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and the country's international human rights obligations.Nigerians Spent N2.07tn on Petrol in 12 MonthsThe Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has revealed that it sold a total of N2.106 trillion of refined products to Nigerians between February 2020 and February 2021, with petrol taking a huge chunk of N2.070 trillion of the entire sales.The corporation also disclosed that in terms of quantity, 17.215 billion litres of fuel, accounting for 99.37 of total refined products were imported during the period under review.The NNPC noted that N188.15 billion was made on the sale of white products in the month of February 2021, lower than N190.72 billion sales recorded in January 2021.The NNPC stated that 1.414 billion litres of white products were sold and distributed, compared with 1.436.40 billion litres in the month of January 2021.The national oil company says this comprised 1.414 billion litres of petrol and 0.17 billion litres of diesel, consumed by Nigerians during the period.Okonjo-Iweala Decries Low Rate of COVID-19 Vaccination in NigeriaDirector-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has lamented the low rate of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria and Africa, in general. Okonjo-Iweala says to fill the wide immunisation gap, WTO was ramping up vaccines' production, with a target of 11 billion doses by the end of this year, way beyond the present output level of 3.8 billion.Okonjo-Iweala says the production of the vaccine volume had been increasing, with the figure in June growing by 1.1 billion, representing a 45 per cent increase from May production.She however says most doses end up in the developed countries and the vaccine inequity continues and vaccines producers need to change the story.Tunisian President Suspends ParliamentTunisian President Kais Saied announced the suspension of the country's parliament and the dismissal of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi following a day of protests against the ruling party.He says the constitution does not allow for the dissolution of parliament, but it does allow for its work to be suspended citing Article 80 which permits such a measure in case of imminent danger.Saved says he would take over executive power with the help of a government headed by a new chief appointed by the president himself.He also said that the immunity would be lifted for parliamentary deputies.South Africa Eases Covid RestrictionsSouth Africa has eased some Covid restrictions after President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country had largely passed the peak of its third wave of the pandemic.A night-time curfew and mandatory face mask-wearing remain in force, but Mr Ramaphosa is lifting the weekday ban on alcohol sales and is allowing people to move between provinces.Schools will also be allowed to reopen on Monday.Mr Ramaphosa says overall infections were down 20% from the previous week, though the figures are still rising in three provinces.Ethiopian Region Calls For Citizen MobilizationThe president of Ethiopia's Amhara region has called on all residents holding arms to mobilise against rebels from neighbouring Tigray.He says from Monday all people of age who are armed either at a governmental or private level will be mobilised for a survival campaign.The call to arms from Mr Agegnehu follows a similar statement on Friday by the leader of Ethiopia's Afar region, leading to fears that the eight-month-long conflict in Tigray could spread.A spokesman for Tigrayan rebels has vowed they will liberate every square inch of Tigray, which includes disputed areas that have been occupied by Amhara forces since the beginning of the war.Tanzania Receives 1m Covid VaccinesTanzania has received more than one million doses of the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine.The single-dose vaccine will be offered free of charge in all government hospitals.The country will also offer the jab to those planning to travel abroad - at a cost.The semi-autonomous Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar began a vaccination campaign about two weeks ago using China's Sinovac vaccine.No data has been shared on how many people have so far been vaccinated there. It is also unclear how many doses the authorities received from the Chinese government.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has listed Nigeria and South Africa among nations being considered by Africa, in conjunction with the European Union and other partners, to create regional vaccine manufacturing hubs on the continent.Okonjo-Iweala stated that regional production hubs would offer a more promising path to preparedness for a future health crisis.Rwandan President, Mr Paul Kagame, also confirmed at the Qatar Economic Forum that Senegal, Rwanda, and South Africa were in talks with investors to start the production of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.The continent of 1.3 billion people has fully vaccinated only about one per cent of its people against COVID-19 even as some wealthier countries have inoculated enough of their citizens to begin reopening their economies.

WTO head Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calls for a rethink by companies over coronavirus vaccines. She urges pharmaceutical firms involved to make enough for everyone in the world, or voluntarily hand their technology to developing countries, citing AstraZeneca's deal with India's Serum Institute. We hear from Dr Okonjo-Iweala, and examine the issues raised with BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker. Also in the programme, baseball returns to New York's Yankee Stadium today, and on Friday the curtain will rise once again at some theatres on Broadway, as the BBC's Samira Hussain in the city explains. Plus, on the 30th anniversary of the first edition of World Business Report, Fergus Nicoll looks back on three decades of coverage of the global economy

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://onnebillionlegit.wordpress.com/2021/03/20/bitcoin-forexwhy-the-bitcoin-price-is-behaving-strangely-in-nigeria-wto-okonjo-iweala/

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged the federal government to restart the Safe Schools Initiative launched at the World Economic Forum in Abuja in May 2014 to protect schoolchildren from abductions.Okonjo-Iweala says that she had discussed the programme with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.She also expressed concerns that the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, as well as women-owned businesses, have been relegated in the country’s export drive.Okonjo-Iweala expressed optimism that a former British Prime Minister and United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Global Education, Mr Gordon and the UN would be willing to support Nigeria to restart the programme.

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly appointed Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), telling her that despite the robust support Nigeria gave to her candidacy for the position, The President says Dr Okonjo-Iweala was putting Nigeria more on the world map and congratulate the country. President Buhari lauded Nigerian women once again, pointing to key positions they hold like Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and many others. He says the same way, the government would encourage the youths so that they can be ready for the challenges of the future.

@nigeriasbest and @phoenix_agenda were joined by @Afrovii. Stories discussed were: 1. The claim by the NSA that funds released to purchase arms for the military are missing. 2. The WTO DG's visit to Nigeria to discuss trade and economic policy. 3. The Kidnap of 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry in Mando, Kaduna.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://onnebillion.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/international-noi-okonjo-iweala-resumes-office/

The world is changing fast, but you can learn it at a slower pace. 时尚美音，优雅英音，听新闻，学英语。（每周一、周二更新）

Women make up fewer than ten percent of national leaders worldwide, and behind this eye-opening statistic lies a pattern of unequal access to power. Julie Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, both political leaders in their own countries, set about exploring this gender bias in their book Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons. Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala joined us to discuss the conversations they had with internationally recognized women leaders, including Jacinda Ardern, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christine Lagarde, Michelle Bachelet, and Teresa May. From their unique positions as fellow political leaders, Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala were able to have candid conversations with some of the most influential women in the world. They relayed stories from their many interviewees, speaking honestly and freely, of having their ideas stolen by male colleagues, what it’s like to be called fat or a slut in the media, and what things they wish they had done differently. With incisive analysis backed by current research, they examined how gender and sexism affect perceptions of women as leaders. Providing rare insight, they asked us to consider why there aren’t more women in leadership—and present a powerful call to arms for women everywhere. Julia Gillard was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 2010 to 2013. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was Nigeria’s Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and from 2011 to 2015, and Foreign Minister in 2006. She was Managing Director of the World Bank from 2007 to 2011, overseeing South Asia, Europe, Central Asia, and Africa, and is currently Board Chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Chair of the African Risk Capacity (ARC). She is the author of Reforming the Unreformable and Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous. Buy the Book: https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/book/9780262045742  Presented by Town Hall Seattle and World Affairs Council. To become a Town Hall Seattle member or make a donation online click here. 

Shirin Kasuwa akai Miki Dole na wannan mako tare da Ahmed Abba  ya maida da hankali ne kan nadin da Hukumar Kasuwanci ta Duniya WTO ta yi wa Dakta Ngozi Okonjo Iweala a matsayin shugabanta, Mace ta farko bakar fata kuma 'yar Najeriya da ta taba darewa Kujerar a tarihi.

Mkurugenzi mkuu mpya wa saba wa shirika la biashara duniani WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala ameanza kazi rasmi Jumatatu akiwa ni mwanamke na Mwafrika wa kwanza kushika wadhifa huo na ameahidi kufanya kila awezalo kuleta mabadiliko. Jason Nyakundi na taarifa zaidi  Bi. Ngozi Okonjo akiwasili kwenye jengo la makao makuu ya WTO mjini Geneva Uswis kuanza rasmi kazi yake mpya akisema kuna kibarua  kikubwa cha kufanya na anahisi yuko tayari . 

The Nigerian-American, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, starts work as the new head of the World Trade Organisation on Monday.A former Nigerian finance and foreign minister, she is the first woman and first African to run the WTO.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says that addressing the health and economic consequences of the pandemic would be a key priority.There are concerns in Washington and other capitals about China’s trade policies and how well equipped the WTO is to deal with them.Dr Okonjo-Iweala is known to be reform-minded, but will be constrained by the wishes of member countries.

@nigeriasbest and @phoenix_agenda were joined by @keneike. News stories discussed were: 1. The appointment of Abdulrasheed Bawa as the new EFCC Chairman. 2. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's appointment as the head of the WTO. 3. The terrorist abduction of 27 students in Kagara, Niger State.

W.T.O. Officially Selects Okonjo-Iweala as Its Director General: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Receives apology from lamestream ( Reuters ) media For her calling her no nonsense Nigerian woman. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and the first African to serve in the post, said she would make global economic recovery from the pandemic a priority. The World Trade Organization on Monday officially selected Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist and former finance minister, to be its next leader. The first black woman and first African To serve as director general, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will assume the post on March 1 for a renewable term expiring on Aug. 31, 2025. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/Teddy-G/support

Caro und Jakob reichen die Realität zur letzten Podcast-Folge nach, empfehlen eine Dänische Politik-Serie und schlagen die Brücke von Fantasy zur Realität. Viel Spass beim Hören und genießt den Blitz-Frühling!

Abrimos estas Imprensa semanal, com CHALLENGE's, que destaca, mulheres que partem ao assalto de organizações internacionais. Entre elas, duas africanas negras, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, secretária geral da OMC, Organização mundial do comércio.  A nigeriana, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, foi designada para o posto na OMC no dia 15 deste mês, depois de luz verde Washington, que bloqueava a promoção até recentemente por Trump. Ngozi,Okonjo-Iweala, é economista, diplomada de Haravard, antiga ministra das finanças e dos Negócios estrangeiros da Nigéria e ex-alta funcionária do Banco Mundial, onde trabalhou 25 anos anos. Ela declarou já estar em acção e que quer galvanizar o multilaterialismo na OMC.  A outra africana é Luoise Mushikiwabo, secretária geral da Francofonia, desde 2019. Ela é do Ruanda. O mesmo CHALLENGE'S, refere-se ainda a Argélia, que deu cabo da sua indústria automóvel. Na ausência de peças sobressalentes produzidas no país, os carros que saem das linhas de montagem custam mais caros que os carros importados. Assim, depois de ter proíbido a importação de viaturas, o governo argelino disponibilizou 2 mil milhões de dólares para a compra de carros no estrangeiro. O semanário CHALLENGE's retoma ainda um artigo do The Economist, que afirma que em África, urgência sanitária e económica à espreita. O continente parece ter bem resistido à pandemia, mas a sua evolução é mal medida e os países ricos deveriam ter interesse em serem solidários fornecendo vacinas e perdoando parte da dívida dos países africanos, nota, CHALLENGE's.  Macron no divã de Psicanalistas franceses Por seu lado, LE POINT, faz a sua capa, com Macron e como mudou neste ano de crise da Covid. 3 grandes psicanalistas fazem o perfil psicológico do Presidente francês. Para Michel Schneider, o Presidente fala por tudo e por nada e sobre tudo. Para um Presidente, Macron devia ler Da Arte de se calar. O que lhe terão feito os seus pais, em criança, para ter de demonstrar permanentemente que é inteligente? Inteligência é um defeito, responde, outro psicanalista, Jean-Pierre Winter, sublinhando, que no tempo do Iluminismo, a inteligência de Macron seria seguramente um trunfo, mas nos dias que correm é um empecilho. Enfim para o o terceiro psicanalista, Ali Magoudi, pode-se traçar a psicologia e ler a identidade de Macron, através dos seus traumas e frustrações. Mas só isso não explica o seu sucesso na política. Macron deve ser igualmente estudado através de outras formas de cultura, onde domina o conflito e serviu-se ainda inconscientemente da natureza dupla de Cristo, humana e divina, nota, Ali Magoudi, no semanário, LE POINT. Por sua vez, L'OBS, titula crimes sexuais na Igreja, a grande confissão. 6 500 testemunhos, dois anos de inquéritos e revelações. São agressões de carácter sistémico que se sucederam em França desde 1950 com padres e religiosos que estragaram a vida de milhares de pessoas. Há testemunhos que chegam a falar de morte psíquica, depois das sevícias e violência sexual protagonizadas por religiosos da Igreja católica francesa, nota, L'OBS.  Por seu lado, L'EXPRESS, faz a sua capa com a hora chinesa. Um ano depois do começo da pandemia Pequim faz a sua demonstração de força. O Dr, Xi Jinping, sem surpresas exibe alfinetadas contra os Estados Unidos que não acabaram com a partida de Trump. Pequim continua a recordar à América de Biden que está determinado a ditar ao resto do mundo a sua própria versão da pandemia da Covid e invadir o planeta com suas vacinas anti-coronavírus, nota, L'EXPRESS.  Enfim, COURRIER INTERNACIONAL, destaca corrida ao ouro verde. Cada vez mais há países que se lançam na cultura do canabis para efeitos medicinais. Um primeiro tratamento acaba de ser validado em Portugal, através da empresa canadiana Tilray, pioneira do canabis. Mas globalmente, apesar do mercado muito promissor as leis continuam a marcar passo, nota, COURRIER INTERNAITONAL. 

A nigeriana Nogozi Okonjo-Iweala é a nova directora da Organização Mundial do Comércio, a ex-ministra das Finanças chega à liderança da OMC numa altura em que a organização está desacreditada. A guerra comercial entre os Estado Unidos e a China, os acordos regionais e o proteccionismo inteligente paralisaram a organização que procura agora recuperar a credibilidade do passado. Em entrevista à RFI, o economista guineense Carlos Lopes, professor na Universidade sul-africana do Cabo, acredita "nas capacidades de negociação e persuasão" de Nogozi Okonjo-Iweala, no entanto reconhece que a Organização Mundial do Comércio vive uma crise profunda "exacerbada pela guerra comercial entre os Estados Unidos e a China".

Obamacare opens for a 3-month sign-up window, Czech PM loses top ranking in opinion polls for the first time since 2017, France and 5 allies to discuss the Sahel's jihadist insurgency & other news updates in your morning shot.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has highlighted steps Nigeria needs to take in order to fully take advantage of the opportunities offered by the World Trade Organisation under the leadership of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.The LCCI felicitated with Nigeria on the appointment of Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of WTO.The Director-General, LCCI, Dr Muda Yusuf, said the emergence of Dr Okonjo-Iweala as the new WTO Director-General is very gratifying and calls for celebration, there is a need to manage expectations around the outcomes for the Nigerian economy, given the numerous productivity and competitiveness issues the country is grappling with.He says Nigeria needs to build capacity for international competitiveness of its products and services so as to benefit from the WTO.

À la une de la presse, mardi 16 février, une femme désignée à la tête de l'OMC pour la première fois. Le passeport vaccinal, qui fait débat en Europe, mais pas en France. L'histoire d'un équipage bloqué sur pétrolier échoué près des côtes émiraties. Et l'histoire sarthoise de la seconde vie redonnée à nos vieilles chaussettes.

Die aangewese Direkteur-Generaal van die Wêreldhandelsorganisasie, die 66-jarige Nigeriër, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala se termyn aan die stuur van die organisasie sal amptelik op 1 Maart begin en loop ten einde op 31 Augustus 2025. Sy sal die eerste vrou en eerste Afrikaan wees wat die Wêreldhandelsorganisasie lei. Sy sal in haar nuwe rol internasionale handelsgesprekke te midde van aanhoudende konflik tussen Amerika en China moet voer, en reageer op druk om handelsreëls te hervorm. Die feit dat sy 'n portefeulje van miljarde bestuur het as 'n 25-jaarlange veteraan van die Wêreldbank, sal in haar guns tel. Dr Okonjo-Iweala sê egter haar aanwysing vroeër vandag kom op 'n tyd wat die wêreld baie uitdagings in die gesig staar....

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

Nijeryalı Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, pazartesi günü Dünya Ticaret Örgütü Başkanı olarak atandı. 66 yaşındaki Okonjo-Iweala, örgütün yöneten ilk kadın ve ilk Afrikalı başkan oldu. Lüks otomobil markası Jaguar, 2025 yılından itibaren sadece elektrikli araç üreteceğini duyurdu. Raporlara göre Facebook, 2022'de piyasaya sürülmesi beklenen bir akıllı saat tasarlıyor.

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

Themen der Sendung: Lange Staus an den Grenzen zu Tschechien und Tirol durch Einreisekontrollen, Grundschulen und Kitas öffnen wieder in Sachsen, Nigerianische Ökonomin Okonjo-Iweala als WTO-Chefin bestätigt, Sendeschluss für das letzte unabhängige Radio in Ungarn, Links-nationalistische Reformbewegung gewinnt Parlamentswahlen im Kosovo, Separatistische Parteien bauen Mehrheit bei den Parlamentswahlen in Katalonien aus, Rigider Einsatz gegen Demonstranten in Myanmar, Traditionelle Rosenmontags-Umzüge fallen wegen Corona aus, Trainer Rose beendet vorzeitig sein Engagement bei Borussia Mönchengladbach, Seehunde-Population in Frankreich erholt sich, Das Wetter

The World Trade Organization has confirmed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its first female – and first African – director-general. The former Nigerian finance minister faces the uphill battle of trying to reform the international body, saying it plays a "vital" role in helping the global economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Also in today's show: France extends its emergency aid for the most vulnerable workers and Jaguar Land Rover accelerates its electric transition. 

Our feature story this week discusses the upcoming sale of artifacts with possible Mexican origins and how Mexico is trying to stop the auction from going ahead. We will also discuss transparent wood, new remote-medical services from Karachi in Pakistan and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala whose path to becoming the new head of the World Trade Organization is now essentially clear. One of our stories this week references homicide.  There will be a warning just before the story starts at the 5:38 mark. While we do not go into specific details, if you would like to skip it, skip to 8:33 or use the chapter markers in your podcast player. #TransparentWood, #DrOkonjoIweala #MexicanAntiquesAs always, the podcast can be found wherever you enjoy your podcasts.  Don't forget to like, share and subscribe for more content just like this one. Visit the blog (https://taplink.cc/tunukamedia) for pictures and references. © 2021 TunukaMedia 

Okonjo-Iweala was poised to become the first African and first woman to lead the embattled WTO, Cuba announced that private activity will be authorized in most sectors, World's smallest reptile found in Madagascar & other news updates in your morning shot.

Yanzu haka hanya ta bude wa tsohuwar ministar kudin Najeriya Ngozi Okonjo Iweala na zama mace ta farko, kuma ‘yar Afirka ta farko da za ta zama shugabar Hukumar Kasuwanci ta Duniya wato WTO, bayan da sabon shugaban Amurka Joe Biden ya mara mata baya, yayin da kuma a gefe guda ministar kasuwancin Koriya ta Kudu Yoo Myung-hee da ke fafatawa da ita, ta janye takarar ta. MICHAEL KUDUSON tattauna da masanin tattalin arziki daga jami’ar jihar Bauchi ta Kashere, Dokta Isa Abdullahi, ga kuma tattaunawarsu.

US economy adds 49,000 jobs in January US jobs growth rebounded in the first month of 2021 as authorities began easing coronavirus restrictions on businesses. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 49-thousand in January, following a decline of 140-thousand in December. The unemployment rate also fell to 6-point-3 percent, but it's still well above the 3-and- a-half percent rate from a year ago. Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala close to leading WTO Nigeria's former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is set to to become the first African and the first woman to lead the World Trade Organization. That's after South Korea's candidate dropped-out of the race following mounting diplomatic pressure. The global trade watchdog has been without a leader since August 2020 when Brazil's Roberto Azevedo stepped down. Shares in Kuaishou nearly triple in Hong Kong debut Shares in TokTok rival, Kuaishou, nearly tripled on their first day of trading in Hong Kong, giving it a valuation of 180-billion dollars. The Chinese online video operator raised 5-point-7 billion dollars after pricing its shares at the top of its expected range. It's the largest tech IPO since the ride-hailing company, Uber, raised 8-billion dollars in 2019.

Trainiere dein Hörverstehen mit den Nachrichten der Deutschen Welle von Samstag – als Text und als verständlich gesprochene Audio-Datei.Fast 10.500 Corona-Neuinfektionen In Deutschland sind innerhalb eines Tages 10.485 Neuinfektionen mit dem Coronavirus verzeichnet worden. Wie das Robert-Koch-Institut (RKI) unter Berufung auf Angaben der Gesundheitsämter mitteilte, stieg die Gesamtzahl der nachgewiesenen Infektionen seit Beginn der Pandemie auf knapp 2,3 Millionen. Nach Angaben des RKI wurden darüber hinaus seit dem Vortag 689 weitere Todesfälle im Zusammenhang mit Coronavirus-Infektionen gezählt. Die Gesamtzahl der verzeichneten Corona-Toten in Deutschland erhöhte sich damit auf 61.286. Die sogenannte Sieben-Tage-Inzidenz sank um drei Prozentpunkte auf 77,3. Deutschland, Frankreich, Großbritannien und USA wollen enger kooperieren Der neue US-Außenminister Antony Blinken hat in einer Online-Konferenz mit seinen Kollegen aus Deutschland, Frankreich und Großbritannien vereinbart, die traditionell enge transatlantische Zusammenarbeit neu zu beleben. Die Minister seien sich einig, "dass sie globale Herausforderungen künftig gemeinsam angehen wollen", hieß es im Auswärtigen Amt in Berlin. Das Gespräch sei von einer konstruktiven Atmosphäre geprägt gewesen. Man habe über den Atomstreit mit dem Iran, die Corona-Pandemie, den Umgang mit China und Russland sowie die internationale Klimapolitik gesprochen. US-Kongress stellt Weichen für Bidens großes Corona-Hilfspaket Der US-Kongress hat das 1,9 Billionen schwere Corona-Hilfsprogramm von US-Präsident Joe Biden ein entscheidendes Stück vorangebracht. Nach dem Senat billigte auch das Repräsentantenhaus einen entsprechenden Haushaltsplan. Das ist die Voraussetzung dafür, dass das Paket demnächst das Parlament passieren kann. Die Vorsitzende des Repräsentantenhauses, Nancy Pelosi, erwartet eine Zustimmung des Kongresses vor dem 15. März. Im Senat hatte das Votum von Vizepräsidentin Kamala Harris den Ausschlag gegeben, weil bei der Abstimmung ein Patt von 50 zu 50 Stimmen entstanden war. Proteste gegen Militärputsch in Myanmar In Myanmar ist es zu Protesten gegen den Militärputsch vom vergangenen Montag gekommen. In Rangun, der größten Stadt des südostasiatischen Landes, forderten rund 1000 Demonstranten die Rückkehr zur Demokratie. Das Militär müsse die gewählte Regierungschefin und Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Aung San Suu Kyi und andere Führer der gestürzten Regierungspartei NLD sofort aus der Haft entlassen. Unterdessen versuchte die Junta offenbar, soziale Medien wie Facebook verstärkt zu blockieren, um der Opposition die Kommunikation zu erschweren. Neue Übergangsregierung für Libyen gewählt Das Bürgerkriegsland Libyen hat eine neue Übergangsregierung. Beim libyschen Dialogforum in Genf wählten 75 Vertreter verschiedener politischer, regionaler und Stammes-Gruppen unter UN-Aufsicht einen neuen Ministerpräsidenten und ein dreiköpfiges Präsidium. Ministerpräsident wurde mit knapper Mehrheit der Aktivist und Geschäftsmann Abdul Hamid Dbaiba. Das Präsidium bilden Libyens Ex-Botschafter in Griechenland, Mohammed Minfi, sowie Musa al-Kuni and Abdulla Hussein al-Lafi. Das Gremium soll die verfeindeten Lager einigen und den Weg für landesweite Wahlen am 24. Dezember ebnen. Auch USA unterstützen Kandidatin Okonjo-Iweala für WTO-Spitze Im Rennen um den Chefposten der Welthandelsorganisation unterstützt die neue US-Regierung die Bewerbung der Nigerianerin Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Die Personalie scheint damit so gut wie besiegelt: Die letzte noch verbliebene Konkurrentin, die südkoreanische Handelsministerin Yoo Myung Hee, hatte ihre Bewerbung kurz zuvor zurückgezogen. Sie war die Favoritin der abgewählten US-Regierung. Die neue US-Regierung sprach Okonjo-Iweala ihre "starke Unterstützung" aus. Der bisherige Generaldirektor Roberto Azevêdo war im August 2020 ein Jahr vor dem regulären Ende seiner zweiten Amtszeit zurückgetreten. Oscar-Preisträger Christopher Plummer ist tot Der kanadische Schauspielstar Christopher Plummer ist im Alter von 91 Jahren friedlich in seinem Haus in Connecticut gestorben, wie seine Familie bestätigte. Er galt als einer der herausragenden Charakterdarsteller seiner Generation und wurde mit zwei Emmy Awards, zwei Tony Awards sowie für seine Rolle in "Beginners" mit einem Oscar und einem Golden Globe geehrt. Plummer wurde vor allem durch das Filmmusical "The Sound of Music" weltberühmt. 2012 ging der Kanadier mit 82 Jahren als ältester Oscar-Gewinner in die Filmgeschichte ein.

#18 - Growing up in Nigeria, Yemi Timson aspired to achieve greatness. Despite her parent's wishes that she become a doctor, she had an interest in accounting and economics and completed a diploma at the University of Jos. While considering further education in accounting, she began to look to the career of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Managing Director of the World Bank as a template for what she should aspire to be. A promotional video with jet skis from Eastern Mediterranean University convinced her to do a degree in Cyprus and on her first day she switched into the economics program to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.  After 4 years in Cyprus, a Master's degree was in the cards, and Carleton University in Canada was offering a full ride! Three provinces, her first experience with snow, and three jobs later, she is now working as an Economist for the Government of Alberta. Will she ever make it to the World Bank like Dr. Okonjo-Iweala? She hopes!If you want to listen to Yemi's podcasts, you can find Tunuka Media here: https://taplink.cc/tunukamediaYemi's Instagram and Twitter - @MyPixelJourney______________________To support Career Crossroads, click hereTo leave Career Crossroads a review, click hereYou can find Career Crossroads at careercrossroadspodcast.com or follow us on social mediaInstagram: @career_crossroadsLinkedIn: Career Crossroads PodcastFacebook: Career Crossroads PodcastTwitter: @jcollatonTikTok: @jonathancollaton___________________You can find Career Crossroads at careercrossroads.ca or follow us on social media: Instagram: @career_crossroadsLinkedIn: Career Crossroads PodcastFacebook: Career Crossroads PodcastTikTok: @jonathancollaton

Salve, salve, CACDista! No resumo de notícias da semana, falaremos sobre: - TPAN: Tratado de Proibição de Armas Nucleares entrará em vigor em 2021; - Plebiscito no Chile: 78% dos eleitores votam por nova constituição; - O atentado terrorista em Nice, na França; - Covid-19: Medidas de lockdown parcial em países europeus; - O compromisso de Japão e Coreia do Sul de zerar emissões de carbono até 2050; - O mais letal acidente com imigrantes no ano, no Senegal; - A reconciliação entre Sudão e Israel, sob mediação dos EUA; - O impasse sobre o nome da nigeriana Okonjo Iweala para a direção-geral da OMC.

The European Parliament has endorsed Nigeria’s candidate for the position of the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation , Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.The parliament said it screened the two remaining candidates in the WTO DG race, Okonjo-Iweala and Ms. Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea, and is convinced that the Nigerian candidate has the energy and is well-equipped for the job.The EP, in a letter on Wednesday signed by the Co-chairs of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO Steering Group, Mr. Bernd Lange and Mr. Sven Simon, said the European Parliament was satisfied with Okonjo-Iweala’s level of requirements and skills.They urged the European Union (EU) to express support for the candidacy of the former World Bank director.--- This episode is sponsored by · Afrolit Podcast: Hosted by Ekua PM, Afrolit shares the stories of multi-faceted Africans one episode at a time. https://open.spotify.com/show/2nJxiiYRyfMQlDEXXpzlZS?si=mmgODX3NQ-yfQvR0JRH-WASupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support

Nigeria’s candidate for the leadership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on multilateral institutions and developed countries to increase their support for low income countries, especially Africa, by providing more concessionary funding.She said this on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing IMF/World Bank Annual meetings, at the CNBC Debate.She also stressed the need for global collaborative efforts towards acquiring and distributing COVID-19 vaccines when they are ready.She advised the developed countries to rethink their approach to global development because as long as people in developing countries and poor nations are unsafe, nobody in the developed countries will be safe.--- This episode is sponsored by · Afrolit Podcast: Hosted by Ekua PM, Afrolit shares the stories of multi-faceted Africans one episode at a time. https://open.spotify.com/show/2nJxiiYRyfMQlDEXXpzlZS?si=mmgODX3NQ-yfQvR0JRH-WASupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja assured Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the country would deploy its entire energy to ensure that she becomes the Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO).--- This episode is sponsored by · Afrolit Podcast: Hosted by Ekua PM, Afrolit shares the stories of multi-faceted Africans one episode at a time. https://open.spotify.com/show/2nJxiiYRyfMQlDEXXpzlZS?si=mmgODX3NQ-yfQvR0JRH-WASupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support

Nigeria's former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is set to be announced on Thursday as one of the final two candidates from a shortlist of five to lead the World Trade Organisation. Reports suggest the two finalists are Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-he of South Korea. The WTO has never been led by a woman or an African. The hope is that having an African head the organisation could boost the continent’s trade, which has stagnated at 2% to 3% of the global average. The successful candidate is expected to be announced next month. The new director general will have to deal with the US-China trade dispute and increased global protectionism. --- This episode is sponsored by · Afrolit Podcast: Hosted by Ekua PM, Afrolit shares the stories of multi-faceted Africans one episode at a time. https://open.spotify.com/show/2nJxiiYRyfMQlDEXXpzlZS?si=mmgODX3NQ-yfQvR0JRH-WA Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support

The European Union (EU) governments on Monday expressed support for Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s candidate for the position of the Director-General (DG) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the race enters the final month. Bloomberg also disclosed that the EU governments selected the South Korean candidate, Yoo Myung-hee, who is the country’s trade minister, as the second contender for the job, the bloc would be supporting. --- This episode is sponsored by · Afrolit Podcast: Hosted by Ekua PM, Afrolit shares the stories of multi-faceted Africans one episode at a time. https://open.spotify.com/show/2nJxiiYRyfMQlDEXXpzlZS?si=mmgODX3NQ-yfQvR0JRH-WA Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has served as the finance minister of Nigeria, the managing director of the World Bank, and she is currently a candidate for the director-general position at the World Trade Organization. She joins David Dollar in this episode to discuss the role trade plays in global development and what she would prioritize as director-general. Okonjo-Iweala is a nonresident distinguished fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative in the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings. Dollar and Sense is a part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.

I spoke to Ayisha Osori about our political structures and the various ways it is unaccountable to the electorates. She is the current Executive Director of the non-profit Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). She also contested for a seat on the House of Representatives for Abuja in 2015 and has documented her experience in an eloquently written book. I enjoyed this conversation, and it was a pleasure to learn from Ayisha’s experience and knowledge.You can listen and download on any of your preferred platform here or the player above. You can also rate us here. This helps other people find the show.TranscriptTL: Welcome to Ideas Untrapped and today I am speaking with Ayisha Osori. Ayisha is a lawyer and she is the former CEO of [the] Nigerian Women's Trust Fund. She has consulted for various international development organisations, and she is currently the Executive Director of Open Society Initiative for West Africa. You're welcome, Ayisha.AO: Thank you, Tobi. It's a pleasure to be here.TL: I read your book... very very fascinating. And one thing that jumped at me straight away is the tension or the balance between political agents and systemic governance in Nigeria. In your experience, and of course from your analytical perspective in observation, where do you think the true power lies in our system? Is it with individual actors or with the structure that they've built around them via the party or their various networks?AO: That's a very fascinating question. And it will be hard to say that it's one or the other. It's both. It's the individuals and it is the structures and I can explain. When I say structures I would be referring to something including the culture of what politics means and what political parties are designed to do or have been doing in Nigeria, some might say, from the 60s. So that DNA, the hard wiring of what a political party should be, the understanding of how it should be structured, how it should work, how it should be manipulated, all those things are part of the structures. The structures are beyond the internal mechanisms of the party, whether it's the National Working Committee or the National Executive Council, it's beyond those structures. So, when I refer to structures, I will be referring to, as I said, the DNA, the history, the hard wiring in our consciousness (both the public and the politicians) of our political parties should behave, what's expected of political parties...all those things help determine how power is obtained and our power is used in Nigeria. And then the individuals come in in that they are the ones who know how to manipulate and manage (depending on how you want to look at it manipulate is one way, manage is another) these structures for their benefit largely, the benefit of their close associates and a handful of hangers-on. And then maybe, you would argue, their communities where there's a trickle-down effect. I'll explain why the individuals are important. We don't have to go too far, we can just start with 1999. In a way you would actually even argue that our parties have deteriorated in terms of structure - AOIf you look at some of the most powerful individuals in any of the parties whether it was PDP, whether it was ANPP, whether it was AC or AD, you'll find a pattern in the names and faces and where they go, who they align with and how the party sort of evolves. So AD moved to ACN, ACN did a merger with CPC to become the ruling party now, APC. So you find the individuals who are powerful within these structures. They're the ones who understand this hardwiring of how political parties should be. They're the ones who have been in the system for a long time and understand it. That's why I'd say it's both of them. And when these individuals decide to leave parties, they typically go home with almost everyone and the party doesn't survive after they leave which shows how powerful they are. It's also a reason why you see the same actors in the different parties because the individuals who know how to, let's just say, be politicians have the same ethos. Regardless of what the name of the party is, they have the same outlook toward how political parties should be run, how power should be gained and how power should be used.TL: One thing you talked about quite early in the book is the role of ideology in politics and how it is missing (it's almost non-existent). One good example is a case of Kogi State where you have two senators, running against each other, four years apart, in different parties. There's the case of Edo where the upcoming elections would actually have, basically, the same people on the ticket of the two main parties, but now they've more or less switched sides. Cross-carpeting is the colloquial word we use for it, would ideology really help bring some stability and, hopefully, sanity to our politics? Because it feels like our politicians do not stand for anything.AO: They would argue with you that they do stand for something and I'm sure many of the politicians that are in APC today will tell you that they consider themselves progressives (maybe left-of-center). I don't think PDP as described itself as center or right-of-center. Right being more conservative, Left being more progressive, but I've heard APC politicians describe themselves as more progressives anyway. Some of them would argue with you that they do have ideologies, but of course we know that it doesn't seem that way because of how easy it is for them to move between parties which I mentioned earlier. So if, as you point out, once upon a time, Ize-Iyamu didn't have the characteristics and values of what an APC person should be, you would have to ask what has changed in four years that suddenly he's able to be the ideal candidate for the APC despite everything they had said about him four years ago. You would like to think that as they present Ize-Iyamu now as a brand for APC that there will be some sense of how he has been rehabilitated from his prior point of views, his prior values that make him now aligned to APC. But there's no pretence in doing that because they know that, in a way, nobody cares, so to speak. And it could be that, is it that nobody cares (that us the public)? Or are we apathetic? Do we no longer care, did we care once upon a time? Did we never care? For me, those are the more interesting questions, because this idea that you have parties where you don't know who your members are, that's been something that's been going on for years and years. It wasn't this bad in the run-up to the 60s when we had the old parties that were led Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe NCNC or [the] inheritors of those parties, the National People's Congress (NPC) that started as the Northern People's Congress...so, in a way, you would actually even argue that our parties have deteriorated in terms of structure, but those parties had some modicum of membership, they had some modicum of order. But as time went on where the lines between public and private or the lines between, let's say, governance and the treasury (public officials and the treasury) became more blurred, the more being in government became a route to access to fantastic riches... the more important it was to be in politics, the more important it became to capture power because that was your route to fantastic riches.So, the point I'm trying to make in a roundabout way is that the parties right now have no incentive to change their DNA or to change the way they've always done things. The formula has worked for them so far they would say. They win power, they might be out of it for one or two election cycles. PDP had said they would rule for 60 years, thankfully, they were out in 16. Now, APC probably has the same feeling that they will rule for 60 years but it's quite likely that they will not. The faces don't change, and even when the faces change, the behaviour and the values don't change. The culture of what politics is doesn't change. So would it not be up to Nigerians to say why do we keep voting for these parties that have no ideology? My point is, the parties will not change until we, the people, say they should change, and how many Nigerians care whether the parties have ideologies or not? So the truth is there's a disconnect - one, the people in the parties have been winning elections this way, nobody has challenged them, they're doing fine, they have no reason to change the formula. And two, Nigerians are not demanding that they should have ideologies or that they should speak on those ideologies.I remember when in the run-up to the 2015 elections and even 2019 elections, there was this conversation about a debate (presidential debate) and Buhari, of course, wouldn't want to debate. He didn't want to debate in 2019, in fact, he had zero incentive to because he was the incumbent. He had nothing to prove, so to speak. But Nigerians still voted for him knowing that. Lately, people are saying things like: this is a man who has never written a book. This is a man that doesn't have even a pamphlet to show what his ideas are, what his thoughts are, what he even thinks about anything. Literally, people have just spent decades projecting their own feelings onto this man. He's never said anything. He's never put anything on paper, which is why it was also easy for him to deny some of the election campaign promises that supposedly he now says his party has made on his behalf [which] he didn't make himself in 2015. But Nigerians still voted for him in 2019. So, if I was a Buhari, why would I care about having an ideology if I can win elections without having any? if I can get millions of votes without having any?TL: Let's unpack the history here a bit. Do you think that the stunting of our political evolution, particularly, by the number of coups we've had and military intervention played a role in this particular problem? Because we know that order than the rule by force and fear which is the method of the military, they also spent quite a lot of time and money buying allegiances from civilian elites which gave them some form of legitimacy, and which I think is now being replicated in civilian rule. What do you think of that?AO: I would think it's valid, in a way - half and half. There definitely was a truncation of our political evolution and political growth and development. And not even only a truncation, a poisoning - there was a poisoning of our sense of what it means to be a citizen, a poisoning of our sense of responsibility and accountability. Some people would argue that we are all even suffering from PTSD because there was a lot of violence as well and it's hard for ideology to thrive where there is high poverty and where there is violence as well. So I would agree that, yes, to a certain extent the coups, the military rule definitely, in my mind, as impacted on our political development.But we cannot blame them entirely because you know that we did have intellectuals. We had the radical ABU academics, we had [them] thriving even in Ibadan, Ife... there was a culture of resistance even during the military rule. But oddly enough, somehow this radicalism, this pushback on authority, it doesn't seem to have survived going back to a democracy in 1999. And some would argue that we are not even in a democracy right now, we're just practising civil rule but we're not quite democratic in the sense of our structures and the accountability between government and citizens. So I'll say, again, like, a lot of my answers will be that 'it's half and half.' I don't like us to shirk responsibility completely. Has there not been enough time between 1999 and today, that's 20 years, we celebrated 20 years of democracy last year of uninterrupted democracy which is the longest we've ever had Democracy in Nigeria uninterrupted. We celebrated 20 years. Is 20 years is not long enough to have developed this culture - if there was a deliberate sense not only from the politicians but also from the academics and the think tanks and civil society that it was important to develop our political culture and political theory? What you find though is that everybody seems extremely comfortable with the way our parties have evolved since 1999, built on some of the interference of the Babangida transition program which took a long time. So that's what I talk about in the poisoning of the well. The years of military rule had helped us to compromise our academics, compromise our sense of values almost entirely and that's still lingering. The damage that was done to our unions, the damage that was done to student associations which could have also helped develop this thriving political culture, all those things were decimated during the military era and nobody has deliberately rebuilt it. You go to our universities today, you find that many student unions are not actually even democratic either. You find that in many cases the vice-chancellor or the ruling council of the university, if there's going to be [an] election, they want to want to be able to determine who wins those elections. That culture of manipulating who gets into a position has poisoned everything - the Nigerian Bar Association, I'm sure it's the same with the Nigerian Medical Association, I'm sure it's the same with either on the women's side. So, it's poisoned everything but as I said, where is the deliberate effort? You know, we're having a conversation where would you say over the last twenty years you have seen deliberate effort from politicians, one; two, academics; three, civil societies; four, even just concerned citizens to build an alternative model for what a political party should be?TL: Why do you think that is? I'm curious. Is it ignorance, is it education, is it apathy? Why? Why has there not been that, at least on a scale that is enough to push the boundaries a little bit from the status quo, why has there been stasis in that regard?AO: Ah... that one, eh. To be honest, I would say that [it's] beyond my pay grade or my understanding grade, to be honest. Because I am as baffled as anyone else about why this hasn't happened and the truth [is] I'm not a student of politics or political science, it's just interest that has made me do a bit of reading over the last couple of years. But, as you pointed out, I studied Law in school, maybe did political science for one or two electives before I entered year two in UNILAG. So I don't know but I would say, picking up from just observing, that it is a mix of apathy, which is odd. We didn't think that being under military rule was inevitable, but somehow we think that how things are done now are inevitable. As time went on where the lines between public and private or the lines between, let's say, governance and the treasury (of public officials and the treasury) became more blurred, the more being in government became a route to access to fantastic riches - AOI don't know what has happened to our sense of struggle and maybe that's it. Maybe there was no collective 'our.' I'm saying 'our' but the truth is it was a handful of people who pushed out the military. It was a handful of people who won independence from the British, and of course, that winning of independence from the British was not unrelated to what was happening across the rest of the world. The world war had ended about 15 years before, the idea of colonialism was sort of dying, so the time was right. Some people would argue that in the way that South Africans struggled to end apartheid, we as a nation, Nigeria... we've actually never struggled collectively for anything. Maybe the biggest struggle we've had was to get rid of the military but as I said even then, you'll be hard-pressed to feel that it was a collective effort as opposed to civil liberties organisations and a handful of people, the Beko Ransome-kutis and co. and co., when you hear those stories. And maybe the stories are not complete. So, framing an answer, why is it this way? It's a mix of ignorance, it's a mix of not being taught our history, the danger of the single-story that Chimamanda has warned us about. But we've only seen one side of our history, we're not sort of prepped to be citizens who are active, and I think this speaks to some element of decolonizing our education. Because when you're learning in school, whether it's primary school, secondary school, university... I did social studies, I did history for SSCE and I took some courses in university, you find that your history just raises you to be accepting of what there is as opposed to questioning. And I think a lot of the colonial countries, whether it's francophone West Africa or anglophone West Africa suffer from this educational system that was designed to just breed civil servants who would just do what they're told and protect the status quo. So, that's one. Two, I think we like quick fixes. And I am understanding of this. I have empathy for this feeling of wanting a quick fix, but,0 we need to invest long-term. Part of the reasons why we're not thinking about the investments that need to be made in changing political culture is because we want a quick fix. Over the last couple of, maybe, like the year-and-a-half, the last year-and-a-half, I would say, there's been this romanticization of the NURTW. I've seen people on Twitter say 'oh, we should go and copy their model,' and I laughed, I smiled. And I'm like, 'what is their model designed to do?' I'm not saying it's an unworthy exercise to study them, you study every model if you want to dismantle it. In fact, you should know even more than the people who follow the model what the model is based on if you want to replace it with something better. But the idea that "well-meaning people"... because these days when people say they are 'well-meaning,' when people say they want to change things, we've learnt from the APC that we should be suspicious and ask questions 'what does change mean?' Because it might mean that you just want to capture power. You don't necessarily want anything to change. So back to NURTW, you want to use NURTW's model to do what? Because their model is designed to be exploitative, is that a model that you want to copy and use? For what? I mean, you have to think about these processes and ideologies and structures almost like a factory, a sausage making factory. Anything you put in will come out looking like a sausage. But we don't want to take the long-term view, we are always looking for the quick fixes.TL: I mean, it's baffling. Maybe I should take a peek at your Twitter feed that anybody would even suggest NURTW as a viable model for political organisation.AO: Whoa! Are you saying you've not seen that?TL: No, I haven't, actually.AO: Ah. No o. In fact, if not that I'm bad with names, so I don't want to, sort of, pick names, but I'm quite sure people like maybe, Alabi, the guy who, I think, is like a business entrepreneur who's gone to the House of Reps in 2019, is that his name? Alabi?TL: Oh, Akin Alabi.AO: Alabi. As I said please, maybe not him, but I just feel somebody with that type of name or maybe it might be...umm, I'm trying to open my Twitter feed now as we're talking, so this is an interactive conversation.TL: Yeah.AO: So, I've seen that from more than one person (say 'oh, you know'... ) maybe even Rinsola Abiola. I think she might be a fan of that school of thought and to be honest it's framed in a way to say 'oh, you elite people, you're sneering at the NURTW because they don't speak English,' it's not that. At least it's not that for me. It is, what is the structure designed to do?TL: Exactly. If I may ask, sorry I'm interrupting. Do they have specifics, I mean, what about that model are we supposed to learn from?AO: It's funny you said that because I remember that some other people pushed back now sharing stories of the kind of havoc that NURTW members have wrecked on their communities, or in [the] markets, and things like that. So, people were like, 'look, stop romanticizing these people.' But you're right, you know. There's this whole thing of 'oh, but they have spread, they're all over the place.' Yeah, they didn't wake up in the morning and suddenly had spread. So you now want to adopt a model but you don't want to interrogate what the model was designed for? In fact, I talked about decolonizing education, we should actually even decolonise our government.Because the truth is our government was inherited from the British who were here to strictly exploit us for their benefit. It's not far-fetched to say that that's what our politicians are still doing today. And they're not alone. We keep pointing fingers at the politicians but the civil servants are also exploiting us on the structures that the British had left for us which we inherited and we haven't really changed since then. You see all sorts of things in our civil service like leave allowance - this was for the British who had to go home for the summer. We still have those things in our system. So when we even talk about decolonizing education, we even need to decolonise our governance and what governance is supposed to do.So it comes back to the thinking that needs to be done but to be honest there's this sense of 'no, no, no, no, we'll enter government and then we'll change it from there.' And my theory, from the little that I experienced, again, I admit that I only experienced a little because all I did was primaries. But even the primaries showed me that what it takes to win an election in Nigeria, I doubt if when you finish you'll still... even if when you were entering you had lofty ideas of what you wanted to do, what you wanted to achieve, I can bet that by the time you win, at least fifty percent of those ideals would have been sheltered. You will no longer be the person you were when you started that process for you to succeed. And in the first place, for you to succeed, there are some traits that the party owners would have seen in you that will make you a good candidate. So I guess that's part of the dilemma that we’re in [which] is that we romanticize things, we're not thorough, we're not detailed... it could be a whole national malaise. We don't have high standards, we don't want to be held to high standards so that we don't have to hold anybody else to high standards. So, yeah, largely, we're just a collective of people who just want quick wins, easy way, we don't seem to see that the suffering that we are going through doesn't have to be that way, that there could be a better way of living. Now, everybody's gaze is on Canada. It's like a joke now but within the jokes and the banter, it's just the sense that nobody wants to build Nigeria, you now want to move to Canada where they have struggled to build their own country and they're still struggling. I've had the privilege of being in Germany for the last year and I've been saying to people 'I'm like Germany, they have light, they have water.' In the one year that I've been here I have not had cause, even once, to even wonder that if I touch the switch, it's just... it's not even in me. Whereas in Nigeria, every single day, it's as dominating as breathing or as air for you to wonder whether there is light. TL: Yeah.AO: So but here where they have light and they have water, they are on the streets every day. I'm not saying the whole city is on the streets but pockets of people who care about one thing or the other are marching and complaining and lobbying... because Berlin is the capital for Germany, sometimes farmers would come from across the country in their trucks, you know how big tractors are?TL: Yeah. AO: You'll find tractors all over the city, blocking roads, constituting a nuisance, they are protesting something to do with agricultural policy. So these are people whose lives you would say are fairly okay, but they're not resting on their laurels. They are not saying 'ah, everything is good,' they're still fighting, demanding, pushing, lobbying. Whereas we that have so much that's wrong, we're not even doing anything. So, it comes back to the ideology question - the people in power, they're looking at us and they're like, it's hard to tell that we want more. If you're Buhari would you think that the nation wants more? I don't know the governor of your state but if you're in Lagos State, does Sanwoolu feel like Lagosians want more?We romanticize things, we're not thorough, we're not detailed... it could be a whole national malaise - AOTL: It's interesting you talk about this demand for good governance which we don't have. I'm just wondering if you are a civil society Czar which you are, in a way...AO: I am.TL: And you want to take a stab at this problem, where do you start? Is it bottom-up, is it top-down? if you want to triage resources, where should we focus on first?AO: I would say it's the middle. My argument is very simple, I say the middle because my knowledge of history, the limited knowledge I have of history and of struggles, is that it's the people in the middle. And I know that there is this argument that we don't have a middle class in Nigeria but I guess, for me, I will just say the middle is: me and you, who have enough to eat every day. We might not eat everything we want to eat every day but we have enough to eat every day. We have a steady income, whether it's every month or whether it's from a business that comes quarterly. We aspire, maybe some of us travel a couple of times a year [or] every couple of years; that class, that middle, the people who can afford data, the people that can afford the luxury of being on Twitter for a few hours every day, on Facebook every day, that's the middle. For me, most movements come from the middle. They would obviously trigger something with the lower class, the working-class people, the people who live on daily wages, at a point the struggle will tip over to them and they too will adopt it. But as you said the triage, my energy will go on the middle, my energy will go on the middle who are young if I'm also going to prioritize within that middle. Because those are the people who should have the luxury of thinking. Me and you, who are not bogged down by hunger... and poverty is real. Poverty is really real in Nigeria. Are we expecting the people who are struggling for a daily meal to be the ones who are going to do the thinking, the planning and heavy lifting? I don't think so. So I would focus on the middle and what would I be focusing on the middle for? I'll be saying to the middle, 'how do we organise?' And you see, when I say "organise", I'm using that word in a technical sense. When we heard that Barack Obama was a community organiser I don't know how many Nigerians understand what that means? There are schools of thought around organising - there is the snowflake model, there is [the] Alinsky model, there's the LCN (Leading Change Network) model. These are models that I know are used in America and I ask myself what are the models for organising that we use Nigeria? What are the models of organising that we use in West Africa? So far I have come up with very little. For me in civil society, the new opportunity that I see is teaching organising in a structured manner. Creating a model for organising. And the truth is we have things in our history that we could build that model of organising around. We've had the Aba women's movement, I will put that as a classic case of organising. How did those women do it? What triggered it? What happened? It's not a footnote in history 'oh, there was the Aba women's...' which was how we learnt about it...the Aba women's movement, they did this, this, this. They put a tax on their salt and they were not happy. No. It is to go beyond that to see how they did it. How did they organise? How did the women get other women to buy into this? In today's day and age where when to organise they're saying 'ah, how many people from Kogi State? How many people from Nasarawa?' Which is not, for me, the key thing. The key thing is, how many people who feel this pain? How many people who have this value? It's not about the geography. But even in terms of putting together movements in Nigeria you find that we're still looking at federal character. I'm not saying that that's a bad thing but I'm saying it cannot be the predominant thing because that's our politicians organise. We cannot keep using their models. There's a reason why they use their model. We cannot use their model when we want to organise to push them out. So that's where I would start - teasing out a framework for organising for us in Nigeria based on our own stories. What did them Beko do? How did they do it? What did they learn? What were the mistakes? What drove them [in] pushing out the military? Where did they go wrong, where did they go right? And then using our own 21st-century experiences from Sudan, from Egypt, from Algeria, Tunisia, from Black Lives Matter. People are looking like at Black Lives Matter as if... I don't know how to explain it, as if somebody just shoots a gun and out came Black Lives Matter. They've been doing Black Lives Matter for years. This is where preparation meets opportunity. The longest movement or, at least, advocacy campaign we've had is Bring Back Our Girls. Maybe also in terms of thinking about a model for organising we'd look at some of the things they did right, learn from some of the things they didn't do well. But, for me, that would be the start. So you'd have that organising model and then you'll now democratise that organising model so that everybody can use it if they want. Whether it's the hairdressers on a street or in a community [or] local government who are tired of being taxed, how do they use that model to organise? But on a larger scale, then it would be how do me, you and other people that think like me and you who want to use that model to build the power that is needed to demand for the structural changes we need. It will take time. It will take research, it will take knowledge, it will take mobilizing, it will take organising to get to that point. But what should sustain us is that in the last decade, decade and a half, most of the real fundamental changes that have happened around the world have happened not through elections and have also not happened because of coups, and have also not happened because people that were oppressing suddenly woke up and said we're tired of oppressing. They've happened because of nonviolent movement, which requires between 3.5 percent or 5 percent of your population to want that change bad enough. I think we can do that in Nigeria but nobody is doing it.TL: Listening to you, I tried to look at some of the potholes, so to speak, in this model. You talked about Bring Back Our Girls, I was at the Abuja sit-in in 2014 and I think... was it the second day or the third day and Dino Melaye came for whatever reason and said (I don't know how true that is) that 'oh, I hear that 150 million naira has been released by the NNPC to start a rival movement.' Now, that seems outrageous but by the very next day there was a rival gathering at Unity Fountain chanting 'Release Our Girls.'AO: [Laughs out loud]TL: Yeah. And by the next day of that rival organisation, it descended into violence. I believe so much in the middle class and changing the demand for good governance, but I keep looking at the threats, especially around poverty and how quickly the political class (the ruling class) can easily use money and influence to mobilize for violence. And I think that may drive apathy on its own. On the path of people that are willing and even able.The key thing is, how many people who feel this pain? How many people who have these values? It's not about the geography but even in terms of putting together movements in Nigeria you find that we're still looking at federal character - AOAO: I hear you completely. And to be honest, yes. In fact, it's now become a fad. As a member of civil society will know, for example, that Amnesty International is constantly picketed every time they come up with a report or a press statement that indicts the government and the military and soldiers for extrajudicial killings or overstepping their bounds especially in terms of loss of civilian lives, we find paid protesters coming out with their posters. To be honest we've seen this across board. We've seen people protesting for Diezani. The funny one was the 'leave Diezani' where it was spelt L I V E, "live our Diezani alone" which is like 'live'. It's now an industry, so we can expect it. But should that deter us? I don't think so. To me, it doesn't deter. And this is another mistake that we make. This is another mistake that "the people that want to change" always make that mistake because they want to keep following the models of the politicians. Now, the average politician thinks 'okay, he can outspend you.' He probably can. But you know these protesters, we find that at the end of the day, they'll be fighting in one corner, maybe they were promised 1000 [naira] but he can only give them 500 [naira], it's not sustainable on their part. Yes, they can bring out their 'release our girls' people, day one, day two, if we were still going for day hundred, who's going to be bringing that money? Who's the politician will keep saying 'let's keep giving these fake protesters money to come out?' They will now have to change track, that's maybe is where they will now try to use violence or the tactic of Abuja now is to seal off the area where the bring back our girls used to sit in the name of construction or they might try and start infiltrating the movement to pay people off to be disruptive. We can expect these things because these are tactics that we know will be used. How do we prepare against it? That's all part of what the organising and the struggle is about. I'm not going to tell you that it's not going to happen, but because we know it's going to happen, then we can mitigate against it. We can expect it and we can work around it. But the truth is, of course, anybody that benefits from the status quo is not going to let go of that status quo easily. We can, again, link this conversation to Black Lives Matter. What is so hard about saying 'stop killing innocent people?' Why is there such pushback? Why are we seeing such pushback from the police, about not arresting people indiscriminately, not shooting and killing people indiscriminately, not using indiscriminate force on people? Because, as I mentioned, the DNA of our political party, it's in the DNA of the United States police force. Because the United States police force is also tied to the legacy of slavery and dehumanizing black people. But does that mean we shouldn't struggle? TL: Absolutely not. AO: Exactly. So we see the pothole, we acknowledge the potholes and just as we do with our cars, we swerve and avoid the potholes. But the key thing that would help us avoid these potholes, Tobi, is the values that we used to organise. So as soon as me and you think that for our movement to a powerful, we need Dino Melaye, we need Adams Oshiomole we need Ghali Na'abba, that's our downfall.TL: Let's move away a bit from that. We'll come back to some of that issue. Let's talk about gender-based violence which is something I noticed you've written about recently. If Twitter is a reflection of reality, there's been an incredible surge in such violent incidents over the last couple of months and like everybody else, I wonder what's going on? Has it always been like this or there is an underlying psychological reason behind the current wave we are seeing?AO: Now, that's a fantastic question and I have the answer. One, this violence is worldwide. The violence against women and children that we're experiencing right now during covid is worldwide. It's been given a name - The Shadow Pandemic. As the covid pandemic is ravaging the world, there's a shadow pandemic that is also ravaging the world and the pandemic is waging war on women and children mostly. So is this a new thing? No, it's not a new thing. What covid has done more than anything is put a magnifying glass to problems we already had and two, it has sped up the rot. So, we already had rotten structures, rotten cultures, rotten response to social issues, deep injustices and inequalities in our system, what covid has done is exacerbate these things. They've made them worse overnight. Why? Because with covid we've also seen restrictions on movement, we've seen people's livelihoods being affected negatively, we know that more people are going through hardship. And when there's stress, and there's oppression, it's not to justify it but this is just the reality, when people are under pressure, they lash out. When I'm under pressure, I'm more likely to snap at my children than when I'm not for the same thing. So, if I'm just chilling, I'm not particularly stressed out at work or nobody has bashed my car or I'm not frustrated at the diesel bill or they've not just come to cut our line, and my child breaks something... my reaction at that moment depends on just how stressed I am. So, likewise, with people's livelihoods being affected, a sense of oppression, a sense of uncertainty, all these things are boiling over as a war against the most vulnerable which is women and children. People feel like they need to take out their stress on somebody else whether it's beating them or raping them, and this is how some of it's manifesting. I'm quite sure that also domestic violence is high, but we're not seeing the stories in the news same way we're seeing the stories of sexual gender-based violence. But in Sierra Leone, a five-year-old was just raped to death. We've seen stories in Nigeria of three-year-olds, four-year-olds. It's across the continent, it's across West Africa, it's across the world. Then come back to Nigeria on sexual gender-based violence, we ordinarily... we've had a really horrible culture of sexual gender-based violence against women. There was the report, I think 2012, called women in Nigeria report that was a joint research done by the British Council and I think the Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Finance because I think we had Okonjo-Iweala then. Yeah, this is around 2012, yes. That was a time when we were making a lot of strides in terms of saying let's do gender budgeting and things like that. Anyway, the report showed that I think 1 is 6 or 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual gender-based violence, separate from domestic violence and just violence in general. So when you now look at the numbers in terms of prosecution, you'll see that very few people are prosecuted for it. We have patriarchy that sort of places men above women and children, then you have an ageist society where we believe older people over younger people, then you have a society where you have no law and order, where your police is ([for] lack of a better way of describing it) largely exploitative and designed to protect the regime as opposed to protecting the people, you have a judiciary that is weakened and not independent and likely doesn't care. Oh, let's not forget sex for grades...you saw the documentary that came out last year that the BBC did on UNILAG and in [the] other school in Ghana?TL: I did.AO: So it's in our culture. I hear that [the] National Assembly, when they do their budgeting for conferences and meetings, if you look at the items there is "conference materials." They say conference materials apparently include women. That conference material is a cover for women. I've heard stories of men in meetings (government meetings) where a good part of the government meeting is spent on whether they are going to travel with blankets, blankets being a code for women, so this is our culture. You have stories of people who are abused and then the whole family will be on the neck of the mother or the child who wants justice. The family. So, we have a real, real, deep societal issue. I agree that a state of emergency should be declared but the truth is a state of emergency was declared around sexual gender-based violence in Sierra Leone last year. Despite that, poor Khadijah was raped to death. A five-year-old. By her Uncle. With the knowledge of the Uncle's mother and the girl's Aunty.So, declaring a state of emergency for me is rhetoric. What is going to be done? What needs to be done? How do you have somebody who alleges that she was raped (we've seen it not once, we've seen it not twice) harassed by the police? The truth is, again, like demanding good governance, do we want to see an end to sexual gender-based violence in Nigeria? It's almost, in a way, also, up to us. Do we want to have zero tolerance? Because if as a society we excuse it, if even on a family level we can find it in our hearts to excuse the people we know who are molesting young girls, when we refuse to believe young girls, when we refuse to believe adults who come forward, then as a society we're saying this is not important to us and the government will take their cue from there.TL: I have a two-part question. And please indulge, maybe, some of my own ignorance here. Now, I look at history and there is some form of correlation, maybe not necessarily causal, that as societies get richer, they also improve in gender equality. So do you think some of these problems are economic? Is it so knotty as a problem right now because we are still largely a poor society?AO: Is that the two-part question [or] should I wait for the other one?TL: Yeah. Wait for the other one.AO: Well, it's a good question and the truth is I don't have the research to say yay or nay. I do know though that in a few countries (I know Brazil is definitely one) where this sense that 'let's empower women economically' (I said I want to stop using that word: empower)... where women have been given or are supported to be more economically independent, we've actually seen violence rise in their homes. As the men find it extremely uncomfortable that the women are earning. Maybe not even earning more than they are, but just that the women are earning. They don't like the confidence it gives them and you see an increase in violence. That has been documented. When I think of women, let's just say like me, who are abused at home or who are abused in the workplace, we're not poor and the people abusing us are not poor either, so I would wonder where that comes in. Unless it is the entire society, even when you have pockets of wealth, there's some sort of mental impoverishment. I mean, that could be the only explanation. That's one explanation anyway, that you'll say that 'okay, so how do you account for sexual gender-based violence and domestic violence within rich or middle-class communities?' And this is not special to Nigeria either, it's something that happens everywhere. So I still bring it back to patriarchy and culture. I still think that it's not enough to say it's because we're poor. Because then the argument will be, but your state is not poor. Why does my police not care? How much is the police budget? I'm sorry I wish I had that number at my fingertips. When a mother comes in with a child and says that child has been raped, why is our police too poor to be able to treat them humanely, question them humanely, capture their stories humanely, instead of reporting the mother or brutalising the girl by asking stupid questions about how she caused what happened to her even if she's under five years old? So where does poverty fit in where our judges who get a huge chunk of money... You can even excuse the judges maybe you'd say because if cases are not prosecuted by the state, this is a crime. So ideally, in these types of cases, it's not supposed to be the mother of a child or me who is a rape victim who is prosecuting the case, the state should be prosecuting the case. Is the state too poor to prosecute these cases? When we vote for these people, what are we voting for? What do they do for us? What do they do for us that makes us have every four years go out and vote for these same people? - AOIs the state too poor to hire public defenders for people who are too poor to hire lawyers for themselves? Is that what we're saying? The state is the one that's going to determine what kind of society that we want to live in. I'm afraid I don't really buy the poverty one, I think that it is a cultural one. Our problem is cultural, it's not poverty. It's not economic. Because even rich people exploit women and girls. Even educated people do, so it's now a culture, this is our culture. Pastors do it, Imams do it, governors do it, ministers do it, people in civil society do it, bankers do it, teachers do it, policemen do it, everybody is doing it. It's not about poverty, it's about culture, it's about what we accept.TL: I love that answer, I wish we had hours to unpack all the various details and nuances. So the second part is, again, to be honest, I never tweet or speak publicly about this stuff because some of these platforms are not really optimized for a nuanced conversation and...AO: Yeah.TL: So I noticed that there is a pattern. I mean, when people pushback or advocate or complain or protest sexual violence against women and children, particularly against women now, there’s a pattern which is 'oh, stop raping women.' And, yeah, I have no problem with that message. But then, you have a certain group of people who say 'oh well, not all men are rapists' and then the conversation devolves into a lot of anger, name-calling. What are the nuances? I mean, in sexual violence there's biology, mental health and other things other than being a male or a female, do those other things not count or explain some of the cases?AO: Hmm. I’m not sure I understand this last part, you might have to unpack that part. I understood up to when you said 'does biology not play a role?' Until that point I was understanding where you're coming from and where you’re trying to go. But this last part...TL: Okay, for example, we know that, and when I say 'we know' I’m talking about, maybe, consensus in the psychological science that paedophiles, for example, have a certain psychological profile. They might not have a normal brain like an average person. And there is also some evidence that people who rape (there are serial rapists, of course, just like serial killers) they are also of a certain psychological profile. I take the cultural arguments. Absolutely. True. There's an ingrained problem with our culture with how we see women, how we treat women, how we talk about women and it reflects. But specifically about the violence which is quite troubling, which bothers me a great deal, which I would like to see a lot more movement in terms of change and not argument, and not controversy and all the things that poison that conversation. So should we start looking into mental illness and not just the gender of the accused or the perpetrator?AO: Okay, now I understand and it’s perfect. Wow! This is very loaded and I’m really not sure I can do justice to it. Maybe after our interview, you'll have another session with people who are psychologists but I’ll try and unpack them one by one and in the different issues that I’ve seen in this last question or comment or reflection. The ‘not all men are rapists,' of course, it’s understood where that is coming from. But if we compare it as someone has done recently to... when we say 'Black Lives Matter,' and then people say 'All Lives Matter, there's also a reaction because in saying Black Lives Matter, we're not saying All Lives don't matter. We're saying black lives are in danger because the numbers tell us that more Black people are being killed by the police. So nobody’s saying white people don’t get killed by the police but what is saying is that there's a systemic structural racism in the US police force that targets Black people. Some people would argue that there's, I know that's hard to think of, but they there are fate worse than death, what the African-Americans go through in terms of being used as a feeder for America's prison complex you could argue that, for some people, that fate is worse than death. It’s like a living death and it’s not unconnected to the fact that the thirteenth amendment they abolished slavery somehow left an exception for prisoners still be treated as slaves, creating an incentive to have slaves and to be able to capture a good part of your population as slaves.So going back to not all men, it angers women and men when some men say that because in saying men are rapists, we’re talking about the data. Nobody is saying women don't rape and it’s actually quite useful that many men are also now sharing very troubling stories of how their first sexual encounter was rape, literally. Which brings us now down to this mental issue - there’s evidence, non of it Nigerian based, but there's evidence to show that people who are abused go on to abuse. So if you were raped as a child, if you were molested as a child, some people would become molesters. If you were raised in a violent household where you were hit as a child, you watch your mother being hit (or let's just say, to be fair, your father being hit), you will most likely grow up into an adult will hit their child, who hit their spouse. This is documented. So you’re right. Sometimes when I hear these stories, I do think 'oh my god, we're a nation of [the] abused' and we're all going on to transfer our abuse to other people. You hear horrifying stories, [see] videos of women abusing househelp in very degrading, sadistic ways. And you’re like 'ah-ah.'So this comes to the trauma that, it will be fair to say, maybe a good section of Nigerians are going through but we don’t invest in mental health. We don’t recognize it. And literally mental health is tied to health where, as a country, we've not put health as a priority - that’s also one of the things that have become glaring from the pandemic. We’ve known that our healthcare is inadequate, I mean, constantly we're Go-Gunding people who need to travel abroad, it seems that there’s no serious illness that we can treat in Nigeria. We just don’t have the capacity. Where we have the capacity, it is very limited. So, if we can’t even do basic public health right and basic public health is literally maternal mortality, infant mortality, just making sure pregnant women don’t die, making sure babies don't die, toddlers below the age of five don’t die. If we can’t treat accidents, gunshot wounds, basic things, how will we get to mental health? Where will the investment come from but the truth is we need investment in public health. To be honest, we can actually tie sexual gender-based violence going on against young boys and young girls and women, we can make it an economic issue because we can say 'what is the impact of all these people who are emotionally stunted in one way or the other (I’m not saying everybody who is raped or who has been abused has mental issues)... but in one way or the other, how are these things affecting our productivity as a society? How many man-hours are lost in dealing with these issues? How many man-hours, women-hours are lost in terms of productivity for women who are running, hiding, trying to dodge abusive husband, abusive uncles who feel entitled to the bodies of your daughters? How many man-hours and women-hours are spent on avoiding all these? What will it take for 3.5 percent of Nigerians to say enough is enough? - AOIf we were really to treat all these cases the way we would, then you'd now be asking, what is the financial burden on our healthcare system? If we had a serious government, then the government will be saying 'this is a pandemic that we must stop because it is draining our people and draining our resources.' So I agree with you that the conversation could be expanded, I am hopeful that it will be because I think we’re getting there. I know that the conversations are quite painful, they can get quite heated, I personally welcome them as painful as they are. Because I think we're sort of undergoing the psychological therapy that we need to first to discuss these things. And you know they say there are stages to grief? I can't remember all the stages but anger is one of them. Maybe we're going through the anger stage. We will get through the anger stage and get to the solution part. Maybe the solutions will be home driven because we would now have had these conversations, had these revelations, had these stories told and told and retold. So people will get to where me and you are now, say, 'okay, how do we move forward?' Which is why in my first answer I said 'it's the lack of seriousness that the states treat this issue of sexual gender-based violence. It's in part a reflection of your society where women have been so objectified as sexual objects. There's a strong sense, in Nigeria, that any woman who has anything is because she's sleeping with somebody. So sex has been seen as a commodity which in a way is almost as if the women are the sellers and the buyers, which is madness. We cannot be the sellers and the buyers.TL: Men are the buyers, obviously. AO: Well, some of them are selling too, so I'm just saying this accusation that 'oh, sex, sex. Women use sex to get what they want. Women use sex to manipulate.' In fact, that narrative is now spilling down to small girls, innocent children. What are they trying to get? What do they want to get? So all these angry conversations should lead to us saying 'enough is enough.' I spend an in ordinate amount of time on WhatsApp platforms and groups where we’re constantly asking 'who can shelter one three-year-old? Who can shelter a four-year-old? There's a 16-year-old who is being by her stepfather, where can she go? And you're saying 'where is the state?' In the 21st-century, how is it impossible...I think only Lagos that I know of, forgive me if there are other states, Lagos is the only state I know that has a shelter for women as per it is a state shelter. And I'm quite sure that even what they can afford and what they can do and who they can cover is limited. But [in] most states, you do not have a place where a woman and her children who are being abused and being a terrorized can go to. Which makes it even harder for you to get the support that you need. So if, for example, your family is not with you in terms of trying to avoid the abuse of your daughter or your son in the hands of a relation, which is often the case. Where do you go? Do you now go under a bridge with these same children who are traumatized? Your state doesn't even provide for this, so again, it comes back to governance and politics.When we vote for these people, what are we voting for? What do they do for us? What do they do for us that makes us every four years go out and vote for these same people? Which one thing? Which one thing are Nigerians passionate about? Which one thing, Tobi, are you passionate about that you're saying this issue is so important to me that if it is not addressed, I want some serious reform? I'm sure every single Nigerian has one of those such issues, yet we do not make it campaign issues, yet we allowed these people to just tell us lies. We cannot hold them accountable. Then the next four years comes again and we all troop out? Are we all mad? TL: Pertinent questions. Thank you very much.AO: Thank you so much. It's been really interesting. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.ideasuntrapped.com/subscribe

Nigeria's Former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has expressed optimism about becoming the Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Okonjo-Iweala, in a video on her Twitter handle, described the WTO as an organization that has become more important than ever.According to her, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world needs to come together using trade to build a better society.She will be competing for the post alongside five other candidates which include South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee; Kenya’s former foreign minister Amina Mohamed; Mexico’s former WTO deputy director-general Jesus Seade Kuri; Egyptian former diplomat Hamid Mamdouh; and former Moldovan foreign minister Tudor Ulianovsch.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the nomination of a former Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation. The Cable reported on Thursday that Buhari withdrew the candidacy of Yonov Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the same position. The election is scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021 for a four-year term that would run from 2021 to 2025 after former Director-General of the organisation, Roberto Azevedo, stepped down a year to the end of his second term. The letter seen by TheCable read that Nigeria is pleased to request the support of esteemed AU member states as well as permanent missions and embassies in Addis Ababa in favour of the candidacy of Okonjo-Iweala. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chairperson of the African Union, President of the Republic of South Africa His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr Donald Kaberuka, Mr. Tidjane Thiam and Mr. Trevor Manuel as Special Envoys of the African Union to mobilise international support for Africa’s efforts to address the economic challenges African countries will face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Special Envoys will be tasked with soliciting rapid and concrete support as pledged by the G20, the European Union and other international financial institutions. President Ramaphosa said in the light of the devastating socio-economic and political impact of the pandemic on African countries these institutions need to support African economies that are facing serious economic challenges with a comprehensive stimulus package for Africa, including deferred debt and interest payments. The AU Chair said the appointment of the special envoys would expedite the process of securing economic support to enable countries on the continent to respond swiftly to this grave public health emergency. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A short decade from now, Africa will have the youngest workforce in an aging world and the potential to become a spectacular economic success story. Or it could become home to the overwhelming majority of the world’s poor. “By 2030 or so, we'll probably need to create about 11 million jobs a year,” says Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the world's leading development economists. “That’s a tall order.” But not an impossible one, says Okonjo-Iweala, a former managing director of the World Bank and Finance Minister of Nigeria. While the window for Africa to become a job-creating manufacturing powerhouse like the so-called “Asian Tiger” countries, she says there is still the potential that “smokestack-less” industries such as services and technology that are booming in countries like Rwanda could help create an economic African Lion. Okonjo-Iweala says African policymakers must learn the lessons of the continent’s most recent boom in order to ensure a prosperous future. For the first 15 years of the 21st century, African economies as a group grew annually by four to six percent, at times outpacing the average global growth rate. African policymakers helped through better macroeconomic management of things like exchange rates, inflation, and negotiating down the continents huge debt burden. But falling commodity prices over the past several years expose a weakness in that success, stalling growth, and now African policymakers must push further to support entrepreneurs by investing in infrastructure and education and cutting the bureaucratic red tape that can stifle innovation. Okonjo-Iweala spoke with PolicyCast host Thoko Moyo after a recent visit to Harvard Kennedy School to deliver the Robert S. McNamara Lecture on War and Peace. For more on this topic, check out Okonjo-Iweala’s lecture, which sponsored by the Institute of Politics and titled “The Changing Face of Povery: Can Africa Surprise the World?”

Are our current approaches to development cooperation fit for purpose to address contemporary challenges? How should development practice evolve to reflect 21st century priorities and knowledge? And how can it bridge the traditional donor-recipient divide? Can aid donors and recipients meaningfully engage with the private sector, private philanthropy, and other new sources of financing? In the 2017 Mitchell Oration, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala draws on more than 30 years of development and financial expertise to reflect on the need for a new way forward. A development economist and former Finance Minister of Nigeria, Dr Okonjo-Iweala is uniquely placed to provide perspectives on these crucial questions. She has served as Board Chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, since January 2016. She has twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, most recently between 2011 and 2015 – a role that encompassed the expanded portfolio of Coordinating Minister for the Economy. In 2006 she served as Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, and has also held several key positions at the World Bank, including as Managing Director. The Mitchell Oration series, of which this is the fifth, has been created to provide a forum at which the most pressing development issues can be addressed by the best minds and most influential practitioners of our time. This podcast of Dr Okonjo-Iweala's lecture is presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, with generous support from the Harold Mitchell Foundation.

On this International Woman’s Day, we speak with Nigerian economist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Best known for her two terms as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and for her work as a Managing Director at the World Bank, Dr. Okonjo Iweala is always looking for ways to help bridge the gender gap. Contributors: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,

Nigeria's charismatic finance minister talks about Nigeria's vigorous growth, the reforms Africa needs to continue powering ahead, and that failed bid for the World Bank presidency.