<p>EU member states have thrown their weight behind two women candidates to lead the World Trade Organization, one from Nigeria and the other from South Korea, diplomats said on Monday.</p>.<p>European envoys gave their support to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former finance minister, and Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea's trade chief, at a meeting in Brussels.</p>.<p>The long-expected endorsement was blocked until the last minute by Hungary, which had lent its support to Britain's former trade minister Liam Fox and Amina Mohamed of Kenya.</p>.<p>The EU's backing gives the two candidates a big boost, coming a day before an initial pool of eight candidates to replace Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as the WTO director-general last month, is whittled down to two.</p>.<p>The choice of Okonjo-Iweala comes amid calls for an African to finally get a shot at running the organisation, which has counted three director-generals from Europe, and one each from Oceania, Asia and South America since its creation in 1995.</p>.<p>The WTO aims to select a winner in November, but some have expressed concern that political bickering could draw out the process.</p>.<p>The global trade body has faced relentless attacks from Washington, which has crippled the WTO dispute settlement appeal system and threatened to leave the organisation altogether.</p>
<p>EU member states have thrown their weight behind two women candidates to lead the World Trade Organization, one from Nigeria and the other from South Korea, diplomats said on Monday.</p>.<p>European envoys gave their support to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former finance minister, and Yoo Myung-hee, South Korea's trade chief, at a meeting in Brussels.</p>.<p>The long-expected endorsement was blocked until the last minute by Hungary, which had lent its support to Britain's former trade minister Liam Fox and Amina Mohamed of Kenya.</p>.<p>The EU's backing gives the two candidates a big boost, coming a day before an initial pool of eight candidates to replace Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as the WTO director-general last month, is whittled down to two.</p>.<p>The choice of Okonjo-Iweala comes amid calls for an African to finally get a shot at running the organisation, which has counted three director-generals from Europe, and one each from Oceania, Asia and South America since its creation in 1995.</p>.<p>The WTO aims to select a winner in November, but some have expressed concern that political bickering could draw out the process.</p>.<p>The global trade body has faced relentless attacks from Washington, which has crippled the WTO dispute settlement appeal system and threatened to leave the organisation altogether.</p>