The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation governing board today chose Yukiya Amano of Japan to lead the organization after its current chief steps down in November, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, July 1).
(Jul. 2) -
Yukiya Amano, Japan's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, won enough support from the organization's governing states today to succeed Mohamed ElBaradei as its leader (Samuel Kubani/Getty Images).
"This afternoon I have received the support from 23 countries which is the necessary number of votes to be selected as the next director general of the IAEA," Amano, Tokyo's envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, told reporters. "I am very pleased for this support."
Amano's victory appeared to end an extended deadlock over who would head the agency. Amano squared off against South African envoy Abdul Minty in a March election; the Japanese diplomat led all three rounds of polling but could not acquire the mandatory two-thirds majority.
The campaign was reopened and three new candidates joined Amano and Minty in seeking the top job. Two of those -- Ernest Petric of Slovenia and Jean-Pol Poncelet -- dropped out shortly before today's election.
Luis Echavarri of Spain was forced out in the first round of polling, leaving Amano and Minty to go head-to-head again.
Industrialized countries had overwhelmingly supported Amano while the board's developing nations generally favored Minty. Ultimately, the vote came down to 23 nations for Amano, 11 against and one abstention.
In a meeting tomorrow afternoon, the 145 IAEA member nations are expected to formally name Amano to the agency's top position "by acclamation," AFP reported. The IAEA General Conference would then give the appointment final approval in September.
Amano would take over from three-term IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.
"If I have the privilege of being elected as the new director general of the IAEA, I will do my utmost to enhance the welfare of the human beings and ensure sustainable development through the peaceful use of nuclear energy," Amano said today.
"Also, as a national coming from Japan, I'll do my utmost to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. In order to do that, solidarity of all the member states countries from North, from South, from East and West is absolutely necessary," he said (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, July 2).