Read on Twitter
On the WTO - like most people, I didn't think much about them until the announcement that NOI was nominated for the top position. Even then, I didn't engage much with the organisation but simply followed the progress of her appointment. https://twitter.com/aloinett/status/1268662333494214656
Then I made this comment about NOI that got a tiny bit of attention. I really try to avoid talking about things I don't understand (partly why I kind of use Twitter as a sounding board for half-baked ideas). So I decided that I needed to learn more. https://twitter.com/aloinett/status/1358001048837832706?s=19
I know NOI and read her books + listened to her speak. But she's such an expert diplomat that I wasn't sure what her "politics" was. Or how it might influence her time at the WTO or even affect me as an African. I listened to others attempt to answer this question but they -
couldn't say much. I love puzzles and I decided to dive into all things NOI and WTO while asking myself how things like the AfCFTA might be affected. I started with a regular Google search and listened to this first. It was interesting but generic. https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/ngozi-okonjo-iwealas-vision-for-the-wto/
Then I found the speech she gave when was up for the World Bank Presidency. I rolled my eyes a bit at the beginning (on her experience with poverty) but started to get a strong sense of the things on her mind. Including issues like youth unemployment.
I remembered listening to this at the end of 2019 and how inspiring it was for me at that time as I was struggling with LSE. This talk helped me put things in perspective and focus on the present/future. I referenced it in my "problem child" piece. https://iop.harvard.edu/forum/changing-face-poverty-can-africa-surprise-world
Then read a bunch of pieces with different takes on her candidacy. 1. https://africasacountry.com/2021/02/black-faces-in-high-places
I found this interesting but there were some inaccuracies about the fuel subsidy issue in Nigeria. But generally some reflections that I even apply to myself.
I found this interesting but there were some inaccuracies about the fuel subsidy issue in Nigeria. But generally some reflections that I even apply to myself.
Read a few others including this: http://www.apanews.net/en/news/why-africa-awaits-okonjo-iweala-to-lead-world-trade-organisation/. But they were all quite similar. Didn't learn anything new. I then reluctantly committed to writing something about this - a difficult but sure why to fast-track learning about an issue.
To write about NOI at the WTO then I needed to know more about the WTO. A relatively boring topic. So I chose audio. For stuff like this, I use podcasts because I can listen while doing other stuff. So I first listened to this on a walk to get groceries: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubHNlLmFjLnVrL2Fzc2V0cy9yaWNobWVkaWEvd2ViRmVlZHMvcHVibGljTGVjdHVyZXNBbmRFdmVudHNfaVR1bmVzU3RvcmUueG1s&ep=14&episode=MGIwZjhhN2YtYzZkNi00ZDg3LThmMzUtZjFhNTQ3OTVlY2E4
It was an LSE event titled "How to Reform the WTO". Was pretty interesting and exhaustive but quite heavy. Shouldn't have been the first on my list. I learned a lot though. Then I listened to this: Freakonomics - Can this man stop a trade war https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL2ZyZWFrb25vbWljcy1yYWRpbw&ep=14&episode=Z2lkOi8vYXJ0MTktZXBpc29kZS1sb2NhdG9yL1YwL250VlIzeXhqcUlacW9HWGFuQlJmQUxqNmlKRUFMb3hVdmRUWEhYRkk3RFU
Was an interview of the former WTO DG and it was interesting hearing his take on what the issues were. Especially the US-China trade wars. So I listened to this: What is the WTO and why Donald Trump does not like it https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMjUyODg2LnJzcw&ep=14&episode=QnV6enNwcm91dC01MjI4NjM4
Then this: China and the WTO - https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5mZWVkYnVybmVyLmNvbS9DaGluYXBvd2Vy&ep=14&episode=aHR0cHM6Ly9jc2lzLXByb2QuczMuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9zM2ZzLXB1YmxpYy9maWVsZF9zb3VuZGNsb3VkX2F1ZGlvL0ZJTkFMXzE5MDYxOV9UdV9YaW5xdWFuX21peGRvd24ubXAz. But wanted to hear about China from someone else, so I also listened to this: China's Implementation of Rulings at the WTO -
https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2F0by5vcmcvcnNzL2V2ZW50X3BvZGNhc3RzX2l0dW5lcy54bWw&ep=14&episode=NWU0NGExYzc4OTk5YzhmMDI1MmYwZDY3
https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2F0by5vcmcvcnNzL2V2ZW50X3BvZGNhc3RzX2l0dW5lcy54bWw&ep=14&episode=NWU0NGExYzc4OTk5YzhmMDI1MmYwZDY3
Threw in this fun piece about a trade war between the US and Indonesia on the issue of flavoured cigarettes (Indonesia won): https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDI4OS9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbA&ep=14&episode=ZmJjZjZlMmYtMjBlNy00Y2ViLTkxZmItMmY0MTUwNTY2MjM2 and have also added this to my list: The negotiator - Charlene Bashefsky: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL3NpbmljYQ&ep=14&episode=YzcyMDRjNzI4YzllZWY0N2ZkZTA3NDJkYTg1M2U3ODk.
So, in a few days, with minimal effort, I now know a lot more about the WTO and what the main issues are. I can better engage with debates and can better digest academic research papers. I'm also slowly forming my own opinions. I hope this thread helps someone!
Forgot to add this: https://twitter.com/wto/status/1361380158280638464?s=19. Nothing like hearing things directly from the source & I've now heard her WTO words so often that I can say them for her (her message has been consistent e.g. good jobs). Everything is stewing in my head while I keep reading/listening.
The US and the WTO - Predictions for what comes next (with Stephen Vaughn, former acting US Trade Rep). Sounded a bit like sulking to me. Of course the idea of multilateralism includes giving up a tiny bit of your sovereignty. https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMjY1NDQ3Ni9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk&ep=14&episode=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcGkuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL2VwaXNvZGUvNDAxMjcyMDA
