Seven candidates have been nominated by World Health Organization member states to become its next director‑general, the UN health agency said on Thursday. The nominees include Hanan Mohammed Al‑Kuwari from Qatar, former health minister and adviser to the prime minister; Hanan Balkhy of Saudi Arabia, the regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean; Hans Henri P. Kluge from Belgium, the regional director for Europe; María P. Neira of Spain, a former head of the agency’s environment and health department; Budi Gunadi Sadikin from Indonesia, the current health minister; Li Song of China, a senior health official; and Gevorg Tamamyan, an Armenian pediatric oncologist nominated by Botswana.
WHO will open the selection with a public forum at its Geneva headquarters on November 18‑19, 2026, letting member states talk directly with each nominee. After that, the Executive Board will cut the field down to five candidates early in 2027, hold more interviews, and then nominate up to three for the final round.
A second public forum will be held on March 15, 2027, for those who make the shortlist. The World Health Assembly, the agency’s main decision‑making body, will appoint the new director‑general in May 2027. The winner will start the role on August 16, 2027.
Choosing WHO’s top leader is crucial because the agency directs global health policy, coordinates pandemic responses, and works on disease prevention and health equity around the world.
