13 Candidates Compete to Lead WHO After Director General's Death

Thirteen candidates have entered the race to lead the World Health Organization after nominations closed Tuesday, the UN agency confirmed. The field includes prominent international figures competing to replace interim head Anders Nordstroem of Sweden, who took over after Director General Lee Jong-wook of South Korea died unexpectedly in May.

Notable contenders include Bernard Kouchner, a co-founder of Medecins sans Frontieres and former UN chief in Kosovo, nominated by France; Margaret Chan, the WHO's top bird flu official who previously led Hong Kong's response to SARS; and Pascoal Mocumbi, Mozambique's former health minister, who ran unsuccessfully for the post in 2003.

Other nominees include Spain's health minister Elena Salgado, Ecuadoran President Alfredo Palacio, Mexican Health Minister Julio Frenk, and Türkiye's Tomris Turmen, who heads the WHO's family and community health division. The WHO's 192 member states will select a new director general on 9 November, after the 34-member executive committee narrows the list.

The incoming chief will confront major challenges including directing the global effort against AIDS and preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. Diplomatic observers note that Asia's chances may be complicated by expectations that an Asian candidate will soon succeed Kofi Annan as UN secretary general.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.