Director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will seek a second term in office to complete an “unfinished business”, her spokesman Ismaila Dieng said.

Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, was elected in 2021 and became the first female and African to head the WTO.

“I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story and I stand ready to compete for the position,” Okonjo-Iweala said in a WTO statement.

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“For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering” what she described as “unfinished business”, highlighting areas of priority if gets reelected.

Some of the areas of priority include ending fisheries subsidies and reaching a breakthrough in global agriculture negotiations, as well as reforming the WTO’s hobbled disputes system and decarbonising trade.

The former Nigerian minister’s tenure ends in November when she’s expected to apply for a reelection officially.

Reuters reported that in July, a move for Okonjo-Iweala’s reelection had been initiated by United States (US) President Joe Biden.

In 2020, former US President Donald Trump’s administration blocked her appointment in a step seen by some as an attack on an organisation he once described as “horrible”.

However, Okonjo-Iweala secured US backing when Biden succeeded Trump in 2021.

Aware of Trump’s bid to return to office and the possibility of a similar opposition, Okonjo-Iweala said, “I don’t focus on that because I have no control.”

While Biden had withdrawn from the race to seek a second term in office, Okonjo-Iweala had reportedly gathered support from dozens of countries to help secure her second term election ahead of the US presidential election in November.

The Nigerian may be reelected under the WTO consensus rules if nobody else applies and all member states of the global trade body.