According to a press release issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 6 December 2013, four candidatures for the post of Director General were received before the deadline for nominations (5 PM, 6 December 2013) expired.
The WIPO press release noted that,
The candidates are (in alphabetical order of names of candidates): Mr. Francis Gurry (Australia), Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama (Nigeria), Mr. Jüri Seilenthal (Estonia), and Mr. Alfredo Suescum (Panama).
The WIPO Coordination Committee, which is composed of 83 member states, will meet on March 6 and 7, 2014 to nominate a candidate for appointment to this position by the WIPO General Assembly, which is scheduled on May 8 and 9, 2014.
WIPO published the following memorandum (Information Concerning Procedures, Membership and Voting WO/CC/69/INF/1) as a guide to the nomination process.
The following is a list of the 83 countries that comprise the WIPO Coordination Committee and have voting rights:
Afghanistan (ad hoc), Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia (ad hoc), Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland (ex officio), Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.