5 candidates remain in running for WTO chief

The list of candidates running to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was narrowed to five after 164 members completed the first round of consultations, the WTO said on Friday, reported Xinhua.

They are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria, Yoo Myung-hee from the Republic of Korea, Amina Mohamed from Kenya, Mohammad Maziad Al-Tuwaijri from Saudi Arabia, and Liam Fox from Britain.

The three candidates out of further competitions are Jesus Seade Kuri from Mexico, Tudor Ulianovschi from Moldova, and Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh from Egypt.

"The process has gone smoothly," WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told journalists, adding that the result of the first round was accepted by "the three delegations whose candidates are not progressing."

Rockwell explained that "the breadth of support" across regions, among others, was put into consideration in the first-round consultation.

The spokesman announced that the second round will begin on Sept. 24 and continue through Oct. 6. WTO members are requested to express two preferences, who will enter the final round.

The process for selecting a new chief was triggered on May 14, when former Director-General Roberto Azevedo informed WTO members he would step down one year before the official end of his term. He subsequently left office on Aug. 31.

During the one-month nomination period starting June 7, a total of eight candidates were officially nominated.

In theory, Azevedo's successor should be selected by Nov. 7 under an agreed elimination process that is based on consensus.