US Vice President Kamala Harris, Okonjo-Iweala Set WTO Agenda

United States Vice President Kamala Harris has developed a strategic working relationship with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Mrs Harris announced on Twitter that she had spoken with Dr Okonjo-Iweala, and they have agreed to advance international trade for recovery and equitable economic growth.

She stated: “

We discussed human rights, investing in the environment, health and technology to spur development and prosperity for the American people.”The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, spoke with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to discuss the need for reforms within the WTO.

Harris disclosed this via her official Twitter account said that they discussed human rights, health, technology, among other reforms.

Harris tweeted, “l spoke with WTO Director-General Dr Okonjo-Iweala. We agreed on advancing international trade for recovery and equitable economic growth. We discussed human rights, investing in the environment, health, and technology to spur development and prosperity for the American people.”

The White House also gave a summary of the phone call between the duo in a press release.

It read, “Vice President Kamala Harris congratulated the director-general and offered her strong support as the global community works toward recovery from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They committed to work together to address the economic and health consequences of COVID-19 and climate change and to prioritize resilience in the global supply chain.

It added, “The Vice President and the Director-General agreed on the importance of using trade to promote equity and economic growth. They discussed how improved living standards, labour rights, human rights, and the well-being of working families must be at the center of our shared priorities to use trade as a lever to lift communities out of poverty. They also discussed the need for reforms within the World Trade Organization to maximize its effectiveness for the future.”

It concluded, “The Vice President highlighted the priority of the United States to invest in health and technology as engines for growth and to advance sustainable development. The Vice President and the Director-General committed to working closely together to accelerate momentum in the global economy for the benefit of all.”