Kenya's minister Ambassador Amina Mohammed's bid to become the Director General of the World Trade Organization received a shot in the arm after East Africa Business Council-EABC endorsed her nomination.

Dr. Peter Mathuki the Chief Executive of EABC, a body that represents trade associations and corporates from six nations submitted that: "The WTO's role in the liberalization of global trade is central towards the growth of trade, investments and competitiveness of the EAC bloc in the international arena."

EABC in supporting Amina's candidature, said her joining the WTO will be timely as Africa is keenly focusing on the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

That, having chaired the WTO's 10^th ministerial conference held in Nairobi in 2015 and the Dispute Settlement Body and the WTO's General Council in 2005, she stands a better chance to steer the global trade body in the right direction.

In addition, EABC said Amina's success to the position will provide an opportunity for the East Africa Community and Africa at large in championing global economic policy to increase the continent's share in global trade.

If the top Kenyan government official who also served as minister for international trade and foreign affairs occupies the top position at the WTO, she will be the first woman and an African to do so.

Ms Amina, a former Kenyan ambassador to the WTO and the first woman to chair the WTO's General Council in 2005, is the sixth candidate to be officially nominated, alongside others from Egypt, Nigeria, South Korea, Mexico and Moldova. Three of them are women.

The six candidates are South Korean trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee; Kenya's former foreign minister Amina Mohamed, Mexico's former WTO deputy director-general Jesus Seade Kuri; former Nigerian foreign and finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Egyptian former diplomat Hamid Mamdouh, and former Moldovan foreign minister Tudor Ulianovschi.

The Geneva-based WTO is seeking a replacement for Brazil's Roberto Azevedo, who is stepping out in August.

The WTO deals with regulation of trade in goods, services and intellectual property between participating countries by providing a framework for negotiating trade agreements and a dispute resolution process aimed at enforcing participants' adherence to WTO agreements, which are signed by representatives of member governments.

(With input from agencies)