Forbes Africa announced
this on Tuesday via a post on its official handle @forbesafrica.
The 2020
#AfricanOftheYear Award honoree is…Congratulations to Dr. @NOlweala! Board
Chair @Gavi; Board Chair @ARCapicity, gracing the cover of @forbesafrica,” the
world’s leading voice for entrepreneurial success and free enterprise tweeted
on Tuesday.
Reacting to the development,
Okonjo-Iweala, who is set to become the first African and first woman to lead
the World Trade Organisation in its 25-year history, said she is excited by the
prestigious award.
She tweeted, “Thrilled to be
named Forbes Africa-CNBC ‘2020 African of the Year’ following in the footsteps
of my great brothers Paul Kagame and Akin Adesina.”
Nigerians who have bagged the
award in the past include President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi
Adesina; Ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammad Sanusi II;
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; amongst others.
Okonjo-Iweala, who has been
the chair of Board of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation since
January 2016, dedicated the award to all Africans.
“This award is for fellow Africans suffering the health and economic impact of #Covid19. The energy and resilience of Africans inspire me!” she wrote.
The
66-year-old former World Bank director, who has a resumé full of qualifications
and a bundle of talents, had been selected consensus candidate by the WTO
Selection Committee for the role of director general.
The move was, however, opposed
by the Donald Trump administration which preferred South Korean Trade Minister
Yoo Myung-hee for the job.
The United States unilaterally
opposed Okonjo-Iweala despite the fact that the WTO selection committee
determined she “clearly carried the largest support by members” and “clearly
enjoyed broad support from members from all levels of development and from all
geographic regions.”
The selection committee is
expected to meet this month in Switzerland to pick a choice between Okonjo-Iweala
and Myung-hee.
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