Brussels
Kenya's candidate for Director-General WTO: Amb. A. Mohammed 15/03/2013
Ambassador Amina Mohammed, CAV, CBS, is in the running for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). She was nominated by the Government of Kenya in December 2012 as its candidate of choice for this esteemed position. Ambassador Mohammed is currently the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations Office Nairobi.
An astute and consummate diplomat, she brings to the candidature twenty-six years of proficiency in matters of international diplomacy and law. She is a skilled negotiator and has a track record of performance and unyielding honesty.
The Embassy kicked off its campaign efforts for her candidature by extending requests for support bilaterally from Belgium and Luxembourg. It even sent requests for support of Ambassador Mohammed’s candidature to all diplomatic missions based in Brussels and the few that are also accredited to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. In a busy week, the Embassy, through the Chargé d’Affaires a. i., Mr Washington Oloo, made fourteen courtesy calls on various strategic and influential countries, and it is notable that some delegations were quite happy that she is running and pledged their support.
Barely three days old in Brussels as Kenya’s tenth ambassador to Belgium, having arrived on the 15 February 2013, Ambassador Johnson Weru threw himself headlong into supporting Ambassador Mohammed. He made several courtesy calls to embassies in Brussels, and even to the Secretary-General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries (ACP). At each stop, he mentioned Ambassador Mohammed and sought support for her bid for the top job. This was a build-up to her scheduled visit to Belgium to meet relevant institutions and advance her campaign.
On 26 February 2013, Ambassador Amina visited Brussels in a bid to campaign for the position. She was met upon her arrival by H. E. Johnson Weru. In a particularly busy day, they began their morning by seeking audience with the European Union Commissioner for Trade, Mr. K. De Gucht, as well as the Director for Trade of the European Union, Mr J. Thompson. Ambassador Mohammed made a presentation and exchanged views with the Friends of Europe, an influential think tank of the European Union. She also met with ambassadors of the East African region and Brussels-based ambassadors who are also accredited to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. Ambassador Weru then held a cocktail to wind up the day, and to thank various strategic embassies for the support they have extended to Ambassador Mohammed. She left Brussels for Geneva on the evening of 26 February 2013.
The Embassy wishes her all the best in her campaign.