Pakistani candidate has strong chances of success

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

The eagerly-awaited election for the next term of the Regional Director (RD) of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) is scheduled in Cairo today (Monday) during a meeting of the Regional Committee. For the first time ever, a Pakistani in the person of renowned public health specialist Dr. Mubashar Riaz Sheikh is also contesting for the coveted post, with a strong possibility of success.

Based in Geneva, Dr. Sheikh is currently serving as Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce Alliance at the WHO Headquarters. If elected, he will replace Dr. Hussein A. Gezairy, who has been holding this office since 1982. Dr. Gezairy was the former Saudi Minister for Health.

Dr. Mubashar received his MBBS degree from the Rawalpindi Medical College and did his Masters in Public Health from the USA. He has served on a number of national and international assignments, and is one of the founding members of the Lady Health Workers Programme.

Elections for the post of RD are held every five years in EMR, which comprises 22 countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, the six Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait), Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and Palestine (non-voting). South Sudan may also have become a voting member. Every country has one vote.

Since the establishment of the Regional Office over 60 years ago, the post of RD has been occupied by Arab countries (Saudi Arabia and Egypt) and by Iran. During this entire period, although being the largest country in terms of population, Pakistan has neither served as the RD nor had challenged other brotherly member states that have been holding this position.

Other candidates for the post and corresponding countries are: Dr. Ala Alwan (Iraq), Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Ali Elsheikh (Sudan), Dr. Mohammad Haytham Khayat (Syria), Dr. Abdulkarim Yehia Rasae (Yemen), and Dr. Mohamed Awag Tag El-Din (Egypt).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and its diplomatic missions in Geneva, New York and all EMR member states have been actively engaged in securing support for the Pakistani candidate since the last two months. During this period, the Special Envoy of the Prime Minster, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, along with Dr. Sheikh and the ambassadors of Pakistan, have visited Oman, Djibouti, Iran, Morocco, Tunis, Jordan and Lebanon to muster support at the highest political levels including prime ministers, foreign ministers and health ministers. These efforts have already produced quite encouraging outcomes as manifest in the strong expression of support from many countries towards Pakistan.

Given the number of candidates, it is expected that the election may go to the second or even multiple rounds. Despite the extended list of candidates, Pakistan is reasonably placed as compared to most other candidates, at least to qualify for the second round.

Given the previous history of countries that served on this post before (Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia) and the longstanding informal understanding that Pakistan deserves this position, Pakistan s case is very strong and is backed by sound arguments of fairness, legitimacy and a strong candidate.

According to the rules of business, until one candidate obtains the majority of votes, the candidate with the least number of votes will be eliminated in each round. Once only two candidates are left, the process will continue for three more rounds but if there is still a tie, the entire process will recommence including all candidates. For simple majority, 12 votes are needed (out of 23, if South Sudan has become a member; Palestine is a non-voting member).