Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praises proposed vaccine hubs in Africa

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, she is responsible for supervising and directing the organisation’s administrative operations.

She is the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General, She took office on 1 March 2021 and Her term of office will expire on 31 August 2025.


Dr Okonjo-Iweala was formerly Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since its creation in 2000, Gavi has immunised 760 million children globally and saved thirteen million lives. She was previously on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc. She was recently appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support for the fight against COVID-19 and WHO Special Envoy for Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator. 


She is a skilled negotiator and has brokered numerous agreements which have produced win-win outcomes in negotiations. She is regarded as an effective consensus builder and an honest broker enjoying the trust and confidence of governments and other stakeholders.


The head of the World Trade Organisation says Africa is working with the European Union and other partners to create regional hubs to produce vaccines.


Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said facilities would be established in South Africa, Senegal and Rwanda. Nigeria is also being considered. She said the over-centralisation of vaccine production was incompatible with equitable access, especially during a health crisis.


Africa is facing a major shortage of coronavirus jabs. The United Nations has urged countries that can to donate surplus supplies to the continent.

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