Fifth candidate enters race to lead WHO as nominations close

(Fixes typographical error in headline)

GENEVA, Sept 25 (Reuters) – A fifth candidate has entered the race to lead the World Health Organization, the agency’s website showed as the deadline for nominees closed overnight.

• Candidates from five countries have submitted applications to replace Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as Director-General of the WHO

• They are: Qatar’s Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Saudi Arabia’s Hanan Balkhy, Belgium’s HansKluge, Spain’s Maria Neira and Indonesia’s Budi Gunadi Sadikin

• Al-Kuwari is a former health minister; Balkhy is a physician who heads the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean office; Kluge is a physician and WHO’s regional director for Europe; Neira is a physician and epidemiologist and former WHO director; Budi is Indonesia’s health minister

• A candidates’ forum will take place in November and WHO’s Executive Board will shortlist up to three of the candidates in January 2027

• Tedros has led the global health agency since 2017 during the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics like Ebola and an mpox outbreak

• During his tenure, then top donor Washingtonordered an exit in 2025, with President Donald Trump accusing it of mishandling COVID – a claim the WHO denies

(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Kirsti Knolle)