Melinda Gates, the Co-Chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has heaped praises on the new Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In her International Women’s Day 2021 tribute shared on LinkedIn, Gates identified five notable women “helping the world to rebuild better, healthier, and more equal”.
She identified Okonjo-Iweala as well as Joy Buolamwini, founder of Algorithmic Justice League; Ava DuVernay, writer, producer, director, and distributor of independent films; Gita Gopinath, chief economist of the International Monetary Fund; and Claire Cain Miller, a correspondent for The New York Times.
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On the new WTO DG, Gates wrote, “Another woman leading on the global economic stage is economist and international development expert Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“As the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization—the first woman and the first African to hold the post—Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will play an important role in bringing countries together to drive an inclusive economic recovery.
“Everywhere she’s been, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has made a difference for people. During her two stints as finance minister, Nigeria established itself as the largest and strongest economy in Africa. During her time chairing the board of Gavi, the vaccine alliance launched Covax to help deliver 2 billion vaccine doses to people in low-and-middle-income countries regardless of their ability to pay.
“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is also a powerful voice on the topic of women’s leadership. One piece of advice she offers to aspiring leaders: ‘There’s no right way to be a woman leader. Be true to yourself.’ She also urges women leaders to remember that the power of their example can help expand possibilities for the next generation. As she puts it: ‘Every woman who steps forward makes more space for the women who come next’.”