African countries will play a key role in the World Health Organization’s efforts to reform global pandemic response under a new leader, to be elected in May 2017. The continent wields an impressive voting bloc — 54 of 194 states — in the first ever ballot of member states. Unwritten rules of courtesy at the WHO also stipulate regions “take turns” filling the slot of director general — and Africa’s on tap.
But amid political jockeying, and emerging new public health initiatives, that may not be enough to elect Tedros Adhanom from Ethiopia, who is seen as the African candidate.
For the first time next year, 194 WHO member states will determine by secret electronic ballot who will replace Margaret Chan as the next U.N. agency chief. All member states — regardless of population — will have equal weight in nominating and selecting the WHO leader. The WHO’s board of directors had previously picked a pool of candidates to be voted on by members.
About the author
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a former U.K. correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women’s economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
