Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) is to become head of the UN Organization for Industrial Development (Unido).
The organization's steering committee had nominated Müller for the post of general director, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development announced on Monday evening.
In the history of the organization, Müller is the first candidate from an industrialized country to be proposed for the post.
The new Director General will be officially appointed by the General Assembly of all Member States at the end of November.
170 countries belong to the Unido.
The organization, based in Vienna, takes care of industrial development in developing countries with an eye on poverty reduction and ecological sustainability.
It has been led by the Chinese Li Yong since 2013.
Müller had announced last year that he wanted to withdraw from federal politics after the current term of office.
The 65-year-old politician has been a member of the Bundestag for the Oberallgäu constituency since 1994, and has been a minister in the federal cabinet since 2013.