WHO Candidates’ Forum for Regional Director in Africa: Key Information and Structure

The WHO will host a virtual candidates’ forum on April 2, 2025, for the election of the Regional Director for Africa, chaired by Honourable Louise Mapleh Kpoto. The forum aims for transparency and will feature presentations from four candidates. Member States can submit questions, with a structured Q&A format ensured during the event, which will be livestreamed in three languages.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing for the election of its next Regional Director for Africa, scheduled for a virtual candidates’ forum on April 2, 2025, from 09:30 to 16:00 Brazzaville time. The forum aims to enhance the transparency of the electoral process and will be chaired by Honourable Louise Mapleh Kpoto, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia, who is also the First Vice-Chairperson of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa.

This forum is designed to provide candidates with an opportunity to present their qualifications and visions for advancing the WHO’s mission in the African Region. The four candidates competing for the position are Dr. Michel N’da Konan Yao from Cote d’Ivoire, Dr. Mohamed Lamine Dramé from Guinea, Professor Janabi Mohamed Yakub from the United Republic of Tanzania, and Professor Moustafa Mijiyawa from Togo. Each candidate will have a maximum of 20 minutes for their presentation.

Member States participating in the forum may submit questions to the candidates. Questions must be directed to specific candidates by emailing the Regional Office by 17:00 Brazzaville time on March 26, 2025. To ensure fairness, Member States that nominated a candidate cannot direct questions at them. During the forum, questions will be drawn randomly, and candidates will have three minutes to answer.

The forum will implement strict time management, with a visible timer to help candidates and Member States adhere to allotted time limits. The event will also be livestreamed on various social media platforms in three languages: English, French, and Portuguese, thus increasing accessibility for participants and stakeholders.

In summary, the upcoming candidates’ forum for the election of the WHO Regional Director for Africa is a significant event aimed at fostering transparency in the electoral process. The event will showcase the qualifications and visions of the four candidates, while also allowing Member States to engage directly through questions. The structured format and live streaming will facilitate wide participation and enhance the democratic process within the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Original Source: www.afro.who.int