Ella Martins

The World Trade Organization’s bid to select a new leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday after the United States rejected the Nigerian woman proposed as the global trade watchdog’s next director-general.Washington has already paralysed the WTO’s role as global arbiter on trade by blocking appointments to its appeals panel.The WTO itself has called a meeting for Nov. 9, less than a week after the presidential election, by which time it hopes to have secured full backing for Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The World Trade Organization's bid to select a new leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday.