The IAEA Board of Governors today conducted an informal "straw poll" on the five candidates that have been nominated for the post of Director General of the IAEA. The selection process will resume in early July.

The five nominated candidates are Mr. Yukiya Amano of Japan; Mr. Luis Echávarri of Spain; Mr. Abdul Samad Minty of South Africa; Mr. Ernest Petri? of Slovenia; and Mr. Jean-Pol Poncelet of Belgium.

In a note to Member States after the balloting on 9 June, IAEA Board Chair Ms. Taous Feroukhi reported the results of the straw poll: Mr Amano, 20 votes; Mr Echávarri, four votes; Mr Minty, 11 votes; Mr Petri?, no votes and Mr. Poncelet, no votes.

The five candidates were nominated by their respective governments in line with a process approved by the Board in October 2008. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei′s term of office expires on 30 November 2009. He has stated that he is not available for a fourth term of office.

Ms. Feroukhi advised Member States that the Board will meet formally in a closed session on Thursday, 2 July 2009, to commence the balloting under its previously agreed procedures.

Background

For appointment, a candidate requires a two-thirds majority of votes cast during secret balloting.

In line with the IAEA Statute, the Director General is appointed for a term of four years by the Board of Governors with the approval of the General Conference of IAEA Member States. The next General Conference is scheduled to open in Vienna 14 September 2009.

Dr. ElBaradei is the IAEA′s fourth Director General since 1957. He was first appointed to the office effective December 1997, and reappointed in 2001 and 2005. He follows Hans Blix, IAEA Director General from 1981 to 1997; Sigvard Eklund, IAEA Director General from 1961 to 1981; and Sterling Cole, IAEA Director General from 1957 to 1961.