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Nepal and Bangladesh’s Heated Battle for WHO’s SEARO Director Post
Nepal and Bangladesh battle for WHO’s SEARO post
- Brief background on WHO and its regional offices
- Upcoming election for WHO South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) director
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. It has 6 regional offices around the world, including the South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) located in New Delhi.
SEARO covers 11 member countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. At the end of October, these 11 nations will meet to elect a new regional director for SEARO during a closed-door meeting.
The current regional director, India’s Poonam Khetrapal Singh, who has held the post since 2014, will hand over charge to the newly elected candidate. The election has taken on significance as two of India’s neighbours – Bangladesh and Nepal – have fielded candidates for the post. Bangladesh has proposed Saima Wazed, the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while Nepal has fielded senior WHO official Shambhu Prasad Acharya. The contest has become politically charged, with regional diplomatic relations likely to play a key role in the outcome.
WHO’s SEARO post Overview
Sections | Details |
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Introduction |
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Election Intricacies |
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India’s Position |
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Repercussions for Diplomacy |
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Concluding Thought | The current election underscores the urgency for revamping WHO’s selection procedures. Election results poised to recalibrate power dynamics in the South Asian region. |
How WHO Elections Are Held
- Closed-door meeting of 11 SEARO member countries
- Majority vote required to elect new regional director
- Outcome depends on negotiations and reciprocity between members
The election for the SEARO regional director will take place through a closed-door meeting of the 11 member countries from October 30-November 2. To be elected as the new director, a candidate will need to secure a majority of the votes from the member states. As each country gets one vote, the winner will need support from at least 6 of the 11 members. The outcome of the election significantly depends on negotiations between the member states and the practice of reciprocity in voting. Each country evaluates their diplomatic relations and potential benefits when deciding who to vote for.
The Contenders
Bangladesh
- Saima Wazed – PM Sheikh Hasina’s daughter
- Public health expert
- Bangladesh lobbying hard for her
Bangladesh has nominated Saima Wazed, the daughter of the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as its candidate for the SEARO director position. Despite allegations of nepotism, Bangladesh is lobbying actively for Wazed, highlighting her public health qualifications. Wazed has a Master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and has worked extensively on autism and mental health issues. Bangladesh is confident of securing votes from the majority of the 11 member countries.
Nepal
- Shambhu Prasad Acharya
- WHO senior official
Nepal’s candidate is Shambhu Prasad Acharya, a senior WHO official who has worked with the organization for many years. Acharya is currently the Director of Planning, Coordination and Special Programmes at the SEARO office. With his extensive experience within the WHO system, Nepal is promoting Acharya as the best candidate to lead the regional office. However, Bangladesh has accused Nepal of nepotism in nominating a WHO insider for the post.
Key Issues
Allegations of Nepotism and Sexism
- Bangladesh accused Nepal of nepotism
- Nepal accused Bangladesh of sexism
The contest between Bangladesh and Nepal has led to heated exchanges between the two countries. Bangladesh has accused Nepal of nepotism by nominating a long-time WHO insider as its candidate. It claimed that Nepal’s candidate Acharya has an unfair advantage due to his extensive career within the WHO system. In response, Nepal accused Bangladesh of sexism, alleging that Bangladesh has questioned the qualifications of Nepal’s candidate just because he is male. The gender of Nepal’s candidate has become a major point of contention.
India’s Role
- Important neighbor for both countries
- Likely to support Bangladesh candidate
As a neighbor to both Bangladesh and Nepal, India’s stance in the election will carry weight. Both countries consider India’s vote crucial for victory. According to diplomatic circles, India is likely to support the Bangladeshi candidate Saima Wazed. This is due to the importance of India-Bangladesh ties under the Sheikh Hasina government. Moreover, Wazed seems to have an edge over Acharya in securing India’s vote. However, it remains to be seen how India balances its relations with both neighbors in the election.
Wider Diplomatic Implications
- Contest seen as test of diplomatic clout
- Countries lobbying others for support
The election for the WHO post has turned into a test of diplomatic clout between Bangladesh and Nepal. Both countries are lobbying hard among the member states to garner votes. They are banking on reciprocity from countries whose support they have lent in previous multilateral elections. The outcome of the election will impact regional relations. If the contest remains acrimonious, it could strain ties between the two countries beyond the election.
Final thoughts
- Election outcome will have regional diplomatic significance
- Broader issues around funding and governance of WHO highlighted
The hotly contested election for the WHO SEARO director has brought to light broader issues like funding and governance reforms needed at the WHO. However, its immediate diplomatic impact will be in India’s neighborhood. The election result will signify which of the two countries, Bangladesh or Nepal, has greater diplomatic influence in the region. Beyond the WHO, it has implications for the wider balance of power in South Asia.