Education
Seven candidates jostle for WHO Director-General position – EnviroNews
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced seven candidates proposed by Member States for the position of its next Director-General, who will assume office on August 16, 2027.
The candidates are Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, Dr. María P. Neira, Mr. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Dr. Li Song and Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan.
According to the WHO, the candidates’ curricula vitae are available in the organisation’s six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
The candidates will engage with Member States and Associate Members at the first candidates’ forum scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The forum will be publicly webcast on the WHO website in all six official languages to enable a wider audience to follow the proceedings.
The selection process will continue in early 2027 when the WHO Executive Board meets for its 160th session to decide on a shortlist of five candidates.
Members of the Executive Board will subsequently interview the shortlisted candidates and nominate up to three for consideration by the World Health Assembly.
A second candidates’ forum, featuring those nominated by the Executive Board, is scheduled for March 15, 2027. The event will also be publicly accessible on the WHO website in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
The final decision will be made at the 80th session of the World Health Assembly in May 2027, when the new Director-General will be appointed.
The successful candidate will take office on August 16, 2027, following the conclusion of the selection process.
The appointment will determine the leadership of the United Nations’ specialised agency responsible for directing and coordinating international public health efforts.
