TIME 100 2021: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

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Nigerian-American, MIT PHD, Harvard undergrad economist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named to the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. Okonjo-Iweala is the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), appointed after the inauguration of US President Joe Biden.

Had Donald Trump won a second terms as US president in the November 2020 election, his administration’s block against Dr. Okonjo-Iweala would most likely have prevailed. Note that Trump is opposed to the WTO for many reasons.

Clearly Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s status as a Nigerian-American, brilliant economist and former Finance Minister of Nigeria (2003-2006, 2011-2015) in two appointments — who looks different from Trump’s vision of female competency — Ivanka and Melania — contributed to Trump’s opposition to her the female expert’s WTO appointment.

After Joe Biden won the US presidency in November and then appointed American diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US ambassador to the UN, we were quite confident the the blockage against Dr. Okonjo-Iweala would end swiftly. The two women friends have worked together for years on international projects. We were not disappointed.

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Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, give TIME testimony about leader Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, asking the question: what will it take to vaccinate the world? “Unity, cooperation and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,” is their answer.

As Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2016 – 2020) and also AU COVID-19 Special Envoy and WHO COVID-19 Special Envoy, Okonjo-Iweala has existing skills and knowledge around global vaccine efforts.

Harry and Meghan remind us that “her job affects every person, family and community.” They continue, writing that “to end the pandemic, we must work together to equip every nation with equitable vaccine access.”

Today only one quarter of the world’s 8 billion people are fully-vaccinated, and Dr. Ngozi Oonjo-Iweala has a tough job ahead. Harry and Meghan write that besides guidance from strong leaders like their friend Ngozi, we have a global duty to find compassion for one another.