Saudi Arabia's Mohammad Al-Tuwaijri bidding to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization advanced to the second round of the selection process, the Geneva-based body said on Friday.
Al-Tuwaijri was among three women and two men to advance to the next round.
In addition to Al-Tuwaijri, the five are Kenyan minister Amina Mohamed, former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, and British ex-minister Liam Fox.
The WTO’s General Council, made up of ambassadors from the 164-member organization, ruled out Jesus Seade Kuri of Mexico, Tudor Ulianovschi of Moldova and Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt.
The second phase of consultations will begin on September 24 and run until October 6 to cut the list from five to two.
The winner is expected to be announced no later than early November.
The previous WTO director-general, Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo, made a surprise announcement in May that he would leave the job a year early, citing a “personal decision.” He left without a successor on Aug. 31.
