![Leading The World Health Organization: Challenges & Opportunities Ahead For A New Director-General [GUEST ESSAY]](/content/images/size/w1280/format/webp/public/images/d7c0b56d-fde9-4a7a-8c06-4fde7dcc07cc_8192x5461.jpg)
Hi,
Global Health in Geneva is gearing up for a change at the World Health Organization. The term of its current leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will conclude in 2027.
The official nominations for the candidates to lead the UN’s only technical agency will open in a matter of weeks.
In this edition, we bring you a guest essay from leading global health scholars - Michel Kazatchkine, Ilona Kickbusch and Peter Piot - where they raise ten questions facing the future leader of the WHO.
We hope that this contribution sparks debate and dialogue, and will help in articulating the role of a future DG in a swiftly changing global health ecosystem.
On the candidates themselves, there are a swirl of names in Geneva and in national capitals. We would wait for the official nominations to be filed, that demonstrate serious political will and a commitment of resources to enter the ring. As always, we keep a healthy distance from power, but we are watching and reporting closely.
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More soon!
Best,
Priti
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I. GUEST ESSAY
Leading The World Health Organization: Challenges & Opportunities Ahead For A New Director-General
By Michel Kazatchkine, Ilona Kickbusch, Peter Piot
In a previous commentary, we had shared our thoughts on the issues that the member states of WHO could take up in the governing bodies of WHO to move the organization forward and to set it on a sustainable path for the next decade. We had identified three areas of strategic reform: refocus WHO on its key global norms and standard-setting mandate, ensure WHO’s financial independence and strengthen WHO governance and accountability.
These will still be on the agenda when a new DG will take office mid 2027– indeed some of the specific issues we identified will need to be deferred to a new leadership, pressing though they might be. Candidates will start to position themselves early on. No doubt, countries have been exploring informally, also during the 158th Executive Board meeting in February of 2026, on the names of potential candidates who would be put forward when the formal process begins in September/October 2026. The nominations process will open as early as March 2026. The Geneva hallways and embassies are already buzzing with rumors.
The short list of candidates will be decided by the WHO Executive Board in January/February 2027, followed by more candidate forums and interviews; the election will take place at the WHA in May 2027. Throughout this period candidates will also be traveling to member states to introduce themselves and their programs and virtual interviews will surely take place. Things will get particularly intense once the short list has been decided in early 2027.
As the web forums and in-person candidate forums are conducted, countries will need to know what – aside from their geopolitical considerations – they are looking for in a candidate.
In our previous article, we focused on the challenges the member states need to address to strengthen WHO – but the interviews with candidates must not only aim to get their positions on priorities but also to gain a better understanding on how the candidates will together with the member states take the necessary strategic reforms forward.
We have put together a list of ten HOWS that might be considered in combination with the eight priority challenges for the organization that we have already put forward. The world needs, maybe more than ever, a strong and independent WHO. That means it needs a strong and forward-looking Director General.
STAKING A CLAIM FOR THE FUTURE:
1. How will the new DG view WHO’s role in global health governance?
How does the candidate position the WHO in the context of the ongoing debate about global health architecture reforms. What role should it play in the discussions? What does the candidate consider to be the core functions of the WHO and based on this role what form of cooperation and modes of governance does the candidate consider with other actors in the global health ecosystem? Where does the candidate position WHO in relation the UN80 reform proposals?
2. How will the new DG make WHO more secure financially?
How will the candidate work towards ensuring the sustainable financing of the organization; what are funding goals in relation to assessed contributions and voluntary contributions? What mechanisms are needed and might be introduced? What role can the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board (PBAC) play?
3. How will the new DG shape WHO’s role in the future of science?
How, from the candidate’s perspective, will WHO acquire and nurture the strongest science it needs to fully establish its legitimacy in the knowledge ecosystem. How will it address the digital and AI transformation needed for the collection and analysis of global health data?
THE GOVERNANCE METRICS FOR THE NEW DG:
4. How will the candidate address the dynamic triangle of resources, budgeting and accountability?
The agreed additive increase of the assessed contributions (AC) makes the dedication of the AC in the regular budget especially critical and binds priority setting to the core functions of the WHO, much more than in the past. How will the candidate address and take forward the internal reforms conducted by the current DG, and the simplification of the management of the “internal architecture”.
5. How will the candidate address human resources?
How will the candidate work on the modernization of the recruitment process for staff and especially the need for new competencies and composition of the WHO work force in the face of new health challenges.
How will the candidate address the need to have sufficient core staff to ensure the normative and standard setting and data analysis functions. How will the candidate introduce performance management, with consequences in case of poor or outstanding performance
6. How will the candidate plan to reform technical support?
How will the candidate address WHO representation at the country level, the role of country offices, focal points etc. including a view on priority countries for establishing or maintaining country offices and priority locations for decentralizing of some Headquarters functions.
7. How does the candidate see the role of the regional offices?
Are there reforms that might be necessary? What would be their role in terms of norm setting, would tasks be delegated?
8. Which reforms of WHO governance does the candidate consider essential?
Does the candidate see a need to reform the Executive Board? How does the candidate want to relate to the Executive Board? Does the candidate support a 7-year term for the DG?
THE NEW DG’S ABILITY TO TAKE ON DIFFICULT POLITICAL EQUATIONS
9. How will the new DG provide leadership on the WHO’s operational activities in conflict settings?
With increased and persistent attacks on healthcare facilities and healthcare workers in conflict zones, WHO will continue to be drawn into the front-lines. How will a future leader oversee the role and responsibility of the organization in an ever-polarized world?
10. How will the candidate address the relationship with countries that are not part of the WHO, such as the U.S., Argentina and potentially other countries?
More than one country has expressed the intention to withdraw from the organization. The question of membership at the WHO, is deeply sensitive and political, with unsettled legal matters. A new DG will lead during a challenging transition also within the context of the wider UN reforms.
There are undoubtedly many other questions on leadership and management for the candidates for WHO DG. The actual implementation of some of the issues discussed above will require strong support from governing bodies. However, clarity on how candidates will tackle fundamental issues for WHO’s impact and sustainability should be essential considerations for member states’ decision whom to support.
II. PODCAST CORNER
Rethinking how we fund health
Across the global health landscape, governments are facing mounting debt, development assistance is under pressure and the gap between ambition and available resources continues to widen. So how do we mobilize resources differently? What does innovative finance look like? And which approaches are truly scalable, equitable and fit for today's realities? To explore these questions, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two leaders who have spent decades working at the intersection of health, finance and global cooperation. Christoph Benn is Director for Global Health Diplomacy at Joep Lange Institute. He's a physician who has played a central role in shaping innovative financing mechanisms in global health. And joining him is Patrik Silborn, Senior Advisor at UNICEF Afghanistan, who specializes in development financing in fragile and crisis-affected settings and has led large-scale efforts to mobilize resources beyond traditional aid.
Garry Aslanyan is the host and moderator of the Global Health Matters podcast. You can contact him at: aslanyang@who.int
This podcast promotion is sponsored by the Global Health Matters podcast.
If you wish to promote relevant information for readers of Geneva Health Files, for a modest fee, get in touch with us at patnaik.reporting@gmail.com.
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