The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that it had received nominations for two candidates to be its next director general. The deadline for submitting nominations had been 31 December. The government of Japan has nominated Yukiya Amano, while South Africa's government has nominated Abdul Samad Minty. Both Amano and Minty currently serve as governors to the IAEA board. The IAEA said that the two candidates were nominated in line with a process approved by the board in October 2008. In September, the IAEA announced that Mohamed ElBaradei, who has served as the director general since 1997, will not be available to serve a fourth term and that his term of office will expire on 30 November 2009. In order to be appointed, a candidate must secure a two-thirds vote in the 35-member IAEA board of governors. If a two-thirds majority is not achieved, the nomination process begins again. The IAEA board intends to make an appointment by June. The appointment will then be submitted for approval at the IAEA General Conference in September.