The race for the position of the world's top health diplomat has officially begun. Following the 22 September deadline for member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) to submit proposals, six candidates to the post of Director-General (DG) were nominated by their national governments.
To contribute to a more open process and generate an informed debate, the Global Health Centre is carrying out the project "What Defines Global Health Leadership in the 21st Century?". The discussion was launched at a roundtable organised together with the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford on 30 September, which gathered a group of global health leaders spanning different WHO regions.
With the increased political attention paid to health following the Ebola outbreak, as well as the beginning of a new era of sustainable development, participants agreed that the next DG will face an extraordinary set of challenges in global health governance – a domain that is increasingly complex, diverse and political. They will also have to manage a highly complex international organisation with a broad mandate and advance WHO reform building on the foundations laid by their predecessors, while balancing the interests of its 194 member states that are at times mutually exclusive.
Restoring trust and confidence in the institution is of paramount importance. The next DG has to resolve the financial impasse WHO faces, ensure accountability and transparency, and introduce new mechanisms that enable WHO to work with other sectors and organisations. They also have to inspire their staff and the public to follow their vision, as well as build a strong and competent team with sophisticated understanding of the political environment supported by strong technical expertise.
The roundtable also drew attention to the process that will lead to the appointment of the next DG. Although many consider this to be the most significant election in the history of WHO and agree that it will be critical to select the most qualified person, scepticism remains. For the first time, the new DG will be appointed by the full World Health Assembly, but votes will still be conducted by secret ballots. It is, therefore, crucial to also look beyond the candidates’ profiles and priorities, as the political character of the election cannot be neglected.
Key messages from the event will be summarised and presented in the form of articles and a final report, which will be distributed widely to feed into the election process. The intention is to provide guidance to member states on the leadership qualities required of the next DG, helping them in choosing the right person. On the other hand, civil society organisations should also pressure on their governments to reveal the candidate they intend to vote for and the reasons for casting that vote.
The six candidates will be interviewed by WHO member states on 1-2 November in Geneva and by the civil society on 3 November at Chatham House in London. The three candidates nominated by the WHO’s Executive Board will then be invited to the Graduate Institute in Geneva for a public hearing and to present their visions and priorities in spring 2017. All these activities will be webcasted.