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Our first interviewee today is Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who sat down with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour to discuss the big picture on global trade before zeroing in on Africa. The Nigerian economist and WTO director-general called the ripple effect of Trump administration tariffs “the greatest disruption in trade in 80 years.” She also said that she agreed with some of the criticisms leveled at the organization by the US. “The crisis is an opportunity to reform (the WTO),” she said, calling from greater transparency and conceding that decision-making “sometimes … does result in paralysis.” “In this modern world with AI, we need to find a way to be flexible, faster,” she added. Okonjo-Iweala noted that the US isn’t the only nation critiquing the WTO, and developing nations also have legitimate gripes. “I think they are coming to the fore because of the crisis we’re in,” she said. Beyond the bureaucracy, the director-general was bullish about the continent’s prospects, pointing to an IMF projection of 4% growth in Africa in 2025 and 2026. “Most of Africa’s mineral resources are yet to be discovered,” she said, while pointing to the continent containing “67% of the world’s arable land,” and 22% of the world’s working population. “But how do we make this work for us?” she added. Global Perspectives is a live event series that will bring CNN International’s in-depth journalism and expert analysis to life on stage. It is taking place at the The Chancery Rosewood hotel in Mayfair, central London, which incidentally used to be the US Embassy. Today’s event, which is the first, will be focused on Africa, a continent increasingly seen as a leading indicator of global change. Set to represent a quarter of the world’s population by 2050, Africa is home to fast-growing economies and a rising generation of talent. CNN journalists will today seek to explore the most urgent and important issues with leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and innovators shaping our world.
