As Nigeria celebrated its second Diaspora Day, the Director General, World Trade Organisation, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-iweala called for more Social, health’s and economic support.
Speaking via a virtual platform from Geneva, the WTO DG said though the Nigerian Diasporas have contributed immensely to the GDP through their remittances, there’s still more to do.
She lamented the rate of unemployment saying it’s a threat to the peace and unity of the country.
“You can do more. Wherever you are in the Diaspora, remember that there’s no place like home. Look around and think about what you can do more to help improve the health and economy of people back home. Either through creating jobs, Civil Society Organisations, helping to support community development,” she emphasised.
For her part and from a broader perspective, she disclosed that the WTO is negotiating an investment facilitation agreement that will help countries to create their own environment to attract investment.
” One of the things that attracted me to WTO was the free crude trade that can help to also improve our economy. And one of the things I’m thinking about kw is how can the WTO further support trade investment in our country. How can we make sure that the actualisation of the African Continental free trade agreement happens on a good note for Nigeria? We have the largest population the largest market but to benefit from the trade, we must add value to our products,” she explained.
She also noted that she’s working with International Trade Centre, an off shoot of WTO, to help women upgrade the quality of their product for easy exportation.
On the issue of COVID-19Vaccines, she said Nigerians and Africans cannot continue to depend on others for supply noting that there’s urgent need to create industries and produce indegenous products for economic growth and national development.
The WTO DG cautioned Nigerians to always be good ambassadors by doing the right thing wherever they find themselves.
Nnenna.O
