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Switzerland | URN | Seven candidates have been proposed by Member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to contest for the position of Director-General, setting the stage for a competitive leadership race ahead of the expiry of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ final term in August 2027.
The candidates, representing seven countries, are Dr Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari of Qatar, Dr Hanan Balkhy of Saudi Arabia, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge of Belgium, Dr María P. Neira of Spain, Budi Gunadi Sadikin of Indonesia, Dr Li Song of China and Dr Gevorg Tamamyan, who has been proposed by Botswana.
The seven nominees will face their first major engagement with WHO Member States and Associate Members during a candidates’ forum scheduled for November 18-19, 2026, at the organisation’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The forum will provide an opportunity for the candidates to present their credentials, outline their priorities and respond to questions from Member States as they seek support for the top position at the global health agency. The proceedings will be publicly webcast on the WHO website in the organisation’s six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
The selection process will subsequently move to the WHO Executive Board, which, during its 160th session in early 2027, will consider the candidates and draw up a shortlist of five.
Members of the Executive Board will then interview the shortlisted candidates before nominating up to three for consideration by the World Health Assembly, the organisation’s highest decision-making body. A second candidates’ forum, featuring those nominated by the Executive Board, is scheduled for March 15, 2027.
The final decision will be made during the 80th session of the World Health Assembly in May 2027, when Member States will appoint the next Director-General, who is expected to assume office on August 16, 2027, for a five-year term.
The leadership transition comes as Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus prepares to leave office after completing his second five-year term on August 15, 2027.
Under WHO rules, the Director-General serves a five-year term and may be reappointed only once, limiting the position to a maximum of two terms. Dr Tedros, who was first appointed in 2017 and reappointed in 2022, is therefore ineligible for another term.
The incoming Director-General will take charge of the organisation at a critical time for global health, with the next leadership expected to steer international health priorities, strengthen health systems and coordinate responses to emerging and existing public health challenges.
