The IAEA Board of Governors today began the first steps of the balloting process for the appointment of a new Director General.
In a closed meeting, Board members first cast ballots on three candidates for the post of Director General, in alphabetical order: Cornel Feruta of Romania; Rafael Mariano Grossi of Argentina; and Lassina Zerbo of Burkina Faso.
The Chair of the Board communicated to Member States the result: Mr Feruta, 14 votes; Mr Grossi, 15 votes; and Mr Zerbo, 5 votes.
Based on those results, a new round of balloting was held on the two remaining candidates: Mr Feruta and Mr Grossi.
The Chair of the Board communicated to Member States the result of this ballot: Mr Feruta, 17 votes, and Mr Grossi, 16 votes.
In order to be appointed, a candidate must secure a two-thirds majority in the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors. In the absence of such a majority, the balloting process will continue.
Today’s balloting followed two straw polls earlier in October as part of informal consultations related to the appointment process.
The Board of Governors appoints the new Director General for a term of four years. Its decision will be submitted for approval to the IAEA General Conference, which consists of representatives of all 171 Member States.
