Europe Dominates List Of Candidates For Next WHO Director

The World Health Organization today released the list of candidates to be the next director general of the UN health agency in Geneva. Of the six candidates, four are from the European region.

WHO said member states proposed the following candidates:

· The Government of Ethiopia has submitted the nomination of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus;
· The Government of Italy has submitted the nomination of Dr Flavia Bustreo;
· The Government of France has submitted the nomination of Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy;
· The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has submitted the nomination of Dr David Nabarro;
· The Government of Pakistan has submitted the nomination of Dr Sania Nishtar;
· The Government of Hungary has submitted the nomination of Dr Miklós Szócska.

[Note: official bios and information are available here]

On 1-2 November, a forum will be held for candidates to present their visions to WHO Member States, and the public, and answer questions from Member States on their candidacy, WHO said. The forum will be webcast in all UN languages on the WHO website: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan’s term ends on 30 June 2017. According to WHO, the process is:

“On January 2017, WHO’s Executive Board [which consists of 34 of WHO’s 194 members] will draw up a shortlist with a maximum of 5 candidates. Executive Board members will then interview these candidates and nominate up to 3 to go forward for consideration by the World Health Assembly in May 2017, when Member States will vote in a new Director-General. Previously, just 1 nomination was submitted by WHO’s Executive Board to the World Health Assembly, which then made the final appointment. The new Director-General will take office on 1 July 2017.”

The deadline for candidates closed on 22 September. Members have had since 22 April to propose candidates (IPW, WHO, 1 February 2016).