Neither candidate to become the next head of the International Atomic Energy Agency received the nod this week from the organization's governing board, opening the door for other aspirants to grab the position, Reuters reported (see GSN, March 26).
(Mar. 27) -
Japanese Ambassador Yukiya Amano arrives today at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, where he fell just short of receiving enough support to become the agency's next leader (Dieter Nagl/Getty Images).
Candidates Abdul Minty of South Africa and Yukiya Amano of Japan needed the backing of two-thirds of the 35-member Board of Governors at the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
The two men, their respective nations' ambassadors to the agency, went head-to-head in three rounds of balloting on Thursday. Amano came out ahead every time but never garnered the needed votes.
Today, the board resorted to up or down votes on both candidates. The tally for Amano was 22 votes of support, 12 in opposition and one abstention. Minty then found backing from 15 nations, opposition from 19 and one abstention. Again, neither man received the necessary backing.
"The slate of candidates is considered to have been wiped clean (now). I will circulate a note on Monday to invite members of the agency to present new [candidates]," said board Chairwoman Taous Feroukhi of Algeria.
Candidates can throw their hats in the ring over the next four weeks, with another vote session scheduled for May. Amano and Minty did not indicate whether they would continue seeking the office (Heinrich/Westall, Reuters, March 27).
The Japanese Foreign Ministry, though, indicated that Amano would remain in the race (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, March 27).
Amano is believed to have the backing of the United States and other Western nations, which want the agency to focus strictly on its technical mission to prevent nuclear proliferation and promote peaceful use of the atom. Washington and other capitals have at times complained of "politicization" of the agency under three-term Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, who leaves office in November.
Developing nations apparently preferred Minty as they press for more access to nuclear technology.
"A consensus candidate (is needed), someone who doesn't mark out clear differences like this ... between the developed and developing countries. Someone for both," Ferhouki told Reuters.
The list of additional candidates includes Luis Echavarri of Spain, head of nuclear energy for the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation; Rogelio Pfirter of Argentina, director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and Milenko Skoknic, Chile's IAEA ambassador, Reuters reported (Heinrich/Westall, Reuters).