Six candidates nominated for WHO Director General
Six candidates have been proposed by Member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the position of WHO Director-General.
A statement issued by the WHO and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Member States proposed the following candidates: Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, while Italy submitted Dr Flavia Bustreo.
France submitted the name of Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy, whereas the United Kingdom submitted the nomination of Dr David Nabarro.
Pakistan submitted Dr Sania Nishtar, and Hungary submitted Dr Miklós Szócska.
The statement said the deadline for proposals closed on September 22; adding that since April 22, WHO’s 194 Member States have had the opportunity to propose candidates.
The Director-General is WHO’s Chief Technical and Administrative Officer and oversees WHO’s international health work.
The current Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, was appointed in 2006 and would complete her second term on June 30, next year.
On November 1- November 2, a forum would be held for candidates to present their visions to WHO Member States, and the public, and answer questions from Member States on their candidacy.
The forum would be webcast in all UN languages on the WHO website: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
In January 2017, WHO’s Executive Board would draw up a shortlist with a maximum of 5 candidates.
Executive Board members would then interview these candidates and nominate up to three to go forward for consideration by the World Health Assembly in May 2017, when Member States would vote in a new Director-General.
Previously, just one nomination was submitted by WHO’s Executive Board to the World Health Assembly, which then made the final appointment.
The new Director-General would take office on July 1, 2017.
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO.
It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States.
The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organisation, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.
The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms.
The Board meets twice a year: in January, when the members agree upon the agenda and the resolutions to be considered by the World Health Assembly, and again in May following the Assembly.
Source: GNA