MEXICO CITY, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday announced his pick of ex-mayor of Mexico City Marcelo Ebrard as the country's minister of foreign affairs.

Ebrard served as mayor of Mexico City from 2006 to 2012, and campaigned for Lopez Obrador for months leading up to the just-concluded elections.

Lopez Obrador, who will take office on Dec. 1, had earlier named career diplomat Hector Vasconcelos to be his top diplomat, but then decided to place Vasconcelos in the Senate.

Lopez Obrador explained he needed a lawmaker with extensive experience abroad as the Senate will be tasked with approving international accords, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement which is currently under renegotiation with the United States and Canada.

Lopez Obrador, a 64-year-old politician and former mayor of Mexico City, won the Mexican presidential election on Sunday with 53 percent of the vote. His National Regeneration Movement party also clinched a majority in the congress.?