Sports Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohamed on Wednesday, October 7, saw her dream to head the World Trade Organisation end abruptly.
Amina’s star was shot down over what the WTO termed as a clash of ideas between Kenya and the European Union’s policies.
According to the global trade organization, Kenya showed lack of commitment and support to Pan Africanism when it signed a trade deal alone with United States without involving the African Trade blocs.
The EU was worried by a Kenyan heading WTO after the country had expressed its desire to sign a lucrative deal with US alone, despite calls for it to be done through blocs such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCTA).
The WTO argued that Kenya’s move to leave the rest of Africa out of the US deal may sabotage European Union policies which had invested heavily on the creation of the bloc.
“The second reason is Kenya’s desire to sign a bilateral trade agreement with the US, in spite of calls for it to be done through blocs such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCTA), worried the EU because it invested heavily in the creation of the bloc,” a diplomatic source in Geneva told the Nation.
The WTO had stated that it was clear since Monday that Amina Mohamed had lost the race to Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korea’s Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee.
David Walker, the New Zealand Permanent Representative to the WTO, said the two “secured the broadest and deepest support from the membership” as opposed to Kenya’s candidate.
Kenya has ratified the AfCTA and has continuously expressed desire to follow through to implement its requirements and support pan-African businesses.
Mohamed in her defense argued that she didn’t see the US-Kenya deal as a danger to the AfCTA.
Kenya however said it was humble in defeat, adding that it was a contest that was always going to produce winners and losers.
In a statement on Thursday, the Foreign Affairs ministry said that although Mohamed "was the most qualified candidate to steer WTO, we accept that the process has moved on without her."
"Kenya expresses deep gratitude to all WTO Members for according Ambassador Amina Mohamed the utmost support throughout her campaign. The courtesies and valuable time availed to her, to meet all delegations and leaders, either in person or virtually; bilaterally or in the regional groupings, are most appreciated," said Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo.
Kenya also said that it has endorsed Nigerian candidate, Ngozi Iweala, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
“In the next round we remind the membership that it was agreed that this would be Africa’s turn. Kenya therefore throws its firm, unwavering support behind Ngozi Iweala of Nigeria, wishes her the best and expects the international community to abide by this important promise as the two candidates proceed to the final round,” said Dr Omamo.
