WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th March, 2021) US Vice President Kamala Harris and new World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala discussed boosting global commerce and combating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House said in a readout of the conversation.
"Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization," the readout said on Thursday. "[They] committed to work closely together to accelerate momentum in the global economy for the benefit of all.
Harris congratulated the Director-General and offered her strong support as the global community works toward recovery from the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the readout said. They also discussed the need for reforms within the WTO to maximize its effectiveness for the future, it added.
"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. ... [and] agreed on the importance of using trade to promote equity and economic growth," the White House said.
Okonjo-Iweala is a Nigerian-American economist and international development expert who has served since March 1 as the WTO's director-general. She is the first woman and the first African to hold the office.
