Gordon Brown has endorsed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the World Trade Organisation, arguing that she has a record of delivering results in “the toughest of jobs”.

The former Prime Minister claimed that Dr Okonjo-Iweala, from Nigeria, would make an “outstanding success” of running the Swiss-based regulator, which is facing an existential crisis while searching for its next director-general and grappling with the global economic disruption caused by Covid-19.

By backing Dr Okonjo-Iweala and claiming she is respected “across the whole of the world”, Mr Brown, a former Labour leader and chancellor, has passed over Liam Fox, the former Conservative trade secretary, whom Britain has nominated in the contest.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, now leads the board of Gavi, the global vaccine alliance.

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