S7 Ep7: Keep Calm and Chill with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Feb 26, 2025
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Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and African Director General of the World Trade Organization, shares her insights on global trade amidst rising tariffs. She discusses the personal impact of her mother's kidnapping in Nigeria and highlights the importance of ethical leadership. The conversation also addresses the challenges women face in leadership roles and the need for supportive networks. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala emphasizes embracing digital trade for inclusive growth, advocating for collaborative solutions in global economic dynamics.
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala advocates for calm dialogue over trade conflicts, encouraging constructive discussions to resolve escalating tensions.
She acknowledges ongoing challenges for women in leadership while inspiring proactive efforts to increase representation and create opportunities.
Deep dives
The Impact of Leadership and Dialogue in Trade
The global trade landscape under the leadership of Dr. Ngozi Ongonja-Eweyla faces unprecedented challenges due to rising tariffs and trade tensions, especially influenced by political dynamics. In the midst of uncertainty, it is crucial to maintain composure and approach issues with calm, considering dialogue as the best means of conflict resolution rather than retaliatory measures. Dr. Ongonja-Eweyla emphasizes that trade should not be manipulated as a political tool but rather managed through constructive discussions among members, using past instances of successful communication, such as with Colombia, Mexico, and Canada, as encouraging examples. This focus on dialogue highlights her analytical mindset, as she believes that thoughtful responses can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes even in the face of escalating trade conflicts.
Principles of Leadership and Service
Dr. Ongonja-Eweyla defines her leadership philosophy as one that prioritizes serving the members she leads over personal ambition, emphasizing the importance of having core principles and value systems. Her journey has been shaped by a strong belief in education as a privilege that should translate into service to others, which influences her approach to leadership at the World Trade Organization. By fostering an environment that encourages dialogue among members, she aims to ensure that decisions are made with the well-being of people and the planet in mind, reinforcing the organization's founding purpose. This intentional focus on service guides her actions and decisions within the challenging context of international trade.
Women in Leadership: Progress and Challenges
Despite some progress in advancing women into leadership roles, Dr. Ongonja-Eweyla acknowledges that significant obstacles remain, citing that the pace of change is frustratingly slow. She commends the rising generation of women for their courage and determination to challenge barriers but highlights that many still experience limitations that older generations faced. In discussing her own historic role as the first woman and African leader of the WTO, she reflects on the bittersweet nature of this achievement, recognizing that it underscores the continuing need for collective action to increase representation for women. Moving forward, she stresses the importance of taking risks to effect change and encourages everyone to be proactive in creating opportunities for themselves and others.
Navigating Digital Trade and Future Opportunities
Emphasizing the growth potential of digital and service trade, Dr. Ongonja-Eweyla articulates her vision for the future of trade at the WTO, which includes laying down foundational rules for digital commerce. Recognizing the immense potential for developing countries to benefit from digital trade, she stresses the need for supportive infrastructure that enables these regions to participate fully in the global market. With digital trade currently growing faster than goods trade, she believes that it presents an exciting opportunity, especially for young entrepreneurs and women in developing nations. This forward-thinking approach highlights the need for adaptability and innovation in addressing current challenges while seizing emerging opportunities in the trade landscape.
As US President Donald Trump threatens trade tariffs, the We Society invited the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to share her thoughts during this period of uncertainty.
The first woman and the first African to serve as Director General of the WTO, Dr Okonjo-Iweala also gives her perspectives on women in leadership positions and her history of fighting corruption in Nigeria that led to the kidnapping of her elderly mother.
This is the final interview in Season 7 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens. On this podcast, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.
Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems.
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