GENEVA - The executive board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday shortlisted candidates from Kuwait, China, Mexico, Japan and Spain to be the organisation`s next director general, a diplomat said.
Three are current World Health Organisation officials, Kuwait`s Kazem Behbehani, China`s Margaret Chan and Japan`s Shigeru Omi.
Mexico`s reforming Health Minister Julio Frenk is a former WHO official who campaigned unsuccessfully for the post in 2003.
His Spanish counterpart Elena Salgado is the outsider, notably because unlike her fellow candidates, she is not a doctor and has played no role within the UN health body.
Six other candidates, including France`s Bernard Kouchner who had been considered a favourite, were earlier eliminated from the running from a contest which will culminate on Thursday when the WHO`s 193 member states will vote on a single nominee.
The candidates are bidding to succeed South Korea`s Lee Jong-wook, who died suddenly in May aged 61 after suffering a stroke.
The new chief will lead the global struggle against challenges as diverse as a threatened flu pandemic, AIDS, medically-resistant diseases or rising chronic illness and dilapidated health care in poor countries.
In its selection the organisation favoured candidates who already had experience of the organisation.
Of the Asian candidates on the short-list China`s Chan is a former Hong Kong health minister and WHO official dealing with infectious diseases while Japan`s Omi is the WHO`s regional director in Asia. Both have track records in dealing with SARS.
Kuwait`s Behbehani is a deputy director general of the organisation.
The five candidates are expected on Tuesday to undergo a 30-minute question-and-answer session with the executive council after delivering a 30-minute presentation.
Then on Wednesday the executive council will announce its choice which will be submitted to the 193-strong WHO assembly for approval on Thursday.
Observers have noted that selection of a new chief is traditionally a political process rather than one based on competence.
Thus there are trade-offs to be made with other posts, such as the newly elected UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon of South Korea, or the soon-to-be vacant slot of UN humanitarian chief currently held by a Norwegian.
That would appear to rule out Japan`s Omi. Kuwait`s Behbehani has also been seen as representing the Asian bloc.
Traditionally UN institutions follow an unwritten rule of rotating the geographical origin of their chiefs. Since 1973 the health agency has shifted exclusively between European and Asian hands.
Out of the running after Monday`s meeting was Pascoal Mocumbi, a former prime minister in Mozambique, Africa`s only candidate.
The others eliminated were Myanmar`s Nay Thun, Turkey`s WHO executive director Tomris Turmen, Finland`s Pekka Puska and David Gunnarson of Iceland.
Like all their predecessors, all the candidates are pledging to bolster the fight against infectious diseases and to "reform" the Geneva-based WHO and its six regional offices.
Many underline the need for the WHO to play a greater role in building general health care in countries -- an issue that has defeated previous chiefs -- and in disease prevention.
11/06/2006 16:57 GMT