Kenya protests to EU after Amina Mohamed drops out of WTO director-general race

Kenya has sent a protest letter to the European Union after Kenyan Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed was not appointed to the post of World Trade Organisation (WTO) director-general despite a spirited campaign.

As per Kenyan media outlet Tuko's reports, the bloc chose to support other candidates even after it had hinted at Mohamed's election to the post. It adds that the 27 member nation union endorsed Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea to battle in the final round. 

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Kenya criticizes EU

According to reports, the Kenyan lawmaker's campaign lost steam as the bloc's members questioned Mohamed’s loyalty to the goals and ideals of the intergovernmental organisation. It further added that Kenya's close ties with China that that came to light during the Brussels meeting could have derailed her campaign given the escalating tensions between the Asian nation and EU

Amina Mohamed had been shortlisted among the top five most preferred candidates for the WTO director-general position.

The World Trade Organisation is set to have its first female leader soon as Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and South Korea's Yoo Myung hee have made it to the final run-off, a WTO spokesman announced. Britain's Liam Fox, Kenya's Amina Mohamed and Saudi Arabia's Mohammad al-Tuwaijri competed in the second round of the race for WTO chief's office.

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Ngozi Okonjo Iweala of Nigeria and Korean minister Yoo Myung hee have advanced to the third and final stage of consultations which will run from October 19 to October 27 and a winner to be announced by November 7. The five candidates were selected in the first stage in September, to replace Brazilian career diplomat Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as WTO chief in August, a year ahead of schedule.

The WTO picks its leadership candidates through a process of consensus and preferences. Okonjo-Iweala and Yoo's candidacies received a boost last week when EU member states officially extended their support to them.

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Image Credits- AP