Who Will be the Next WHO Director-General?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has informed that curricula vitae and related information is now available for the 6 candidates proposed by Member States of WHO for the position of WHO Director-General.

The Director-General is WHO’s chief technical and administrative officer and oversees policy for WHO’s international health work.

The current incumbent, Dr. Margaret Chan (pictured above), was elected in 2006 and will complete her second term on 30 June next year.

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The new candidates are:

• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
• Dr Flavia Bustreo
• Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy
• Dr David Nabarro
• Dr Sania Nishtar
• Dr Miklós Szócska

The candidates’ curricula vitae are available on WHO website in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. In addition, contact information is available for sending enquiries to the candidates.

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The candidates will be speaking to Member States 1–2 November 2016 at a forum to be held at WHO in Geneva. The forum will be webcast in all UN languages on the WHO website: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

In January 2017, WHO’s Executive Board 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.

Photo courtesy: WHO