The five candidates running for the position of WTO chief (from left): Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea, Liam Fox of Britain, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri of Saudi Arabia, and Amina Mohamed of Kenya. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

WTO members said that the five candidates who should advance are from Nigeria, South Korea, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.

The second phase of consultations to bring the number of candidates from five to two will begin on Wednesday and run until October 6, according to the WTO.

A meeting of heads of delegations to the WTO will be held to announce the result and set the timetable for the third, also the final round of consultations.

Former WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo stepped down on August 31 this year, cutting his second term short by one year.