Tom Mboya Okeyo wins powerful seat in WTO

Kenya has won the top seat of a powerful World Trade Organisation (WTO) decision-making organ, improving her chances of landing favourable deals in the on going Doha trade negotiations.

Tom Mboya Okeyo, Kenya’s permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, will represent the country as chairman of WTO Council for Trade in Goods for 2012, the organisation said.

The Goods Council ranks within the WTO’s third highest authority in terms of decision making on key trade issues.

Also working at this level are the Council for Trade in Services and the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

“These chairpersons are to serve until the next session of the ministerial conference,” WTO said in a statement announcing officials to lead various council groups and committees this year.

The appointment of Dr Okeyo marks an elevation for Kenya that in 2010 held a slot in a committee of the Trade in Goods Council.
Read more: Africa Review, Feb 28, 2012
image original source: http://www.cbd.int/hlm/2011/