A Qatari and a Saudi Woman in the Race for the Leadership of the World Health Organization
econews. According to *EcoNews*, quoting *Al-Khaleej Online*, both are competing alongside other contenders seeking to succeed Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the current Director-General of the WHO, whose second term will conclude in August 2027.
To date, the preliminary list of candidates comprises four prominent figures: Dr. Hans Kluge of Belgium, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia’s Minister of Health, have also joined the race, while candidate nominations remain open until next September 24.
This contest carries special significance for the Gulf region, as both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have fielded candidates with distinguished careers in public health and international affairs, albeit shaped through differing professional trajectories.
Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al-Kuwari served as Qatar’s Minister of Public Health from 2016 to 2024 and held the position of Managing Director of Hamad Medical Corporation for many years. She has maintained an active and influential presence within WHO bodies, including her election as Vice-President of the World Health Assembly in 2021 and her sustained participation in the work of the WHO Executive Board.
On the other hand, Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy, whom Saudi Arabia has nominated for the 2027–2032 term, enters the race backed by extensive expertise in public health, infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, and combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Dr. Balkhy currently serves as the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, becoming the first woman to hold this prestigious office. Prior to this, she served as WHO Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance, bringing together a proven track record of medical expertise and executive leadership at both regional and global levels.
Her extensive tenure within the World Health Organization represents a distinctive advantage in this race, as she has operated across all three levels of the Organization. Her professional agenda centers on health emergency preparedness, health security, health system strengthening, and addressing infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
The candidate list may expand further as the official nomination deadline runs through September 24, 2026. Subsequently, the WHO Executive Board will oversee the screening and selection process, nominating up to three candidates to the World Health Assembly in January 2027, ahead of the final election of the new Director-General in May 2027.
