WHO nominates Tongan as new Western Pacific chief

Tongan Health Minister Saia Ma'u Piukala was nominated Tuesday to lead the World Health Organization's Western Pacific region, becoming the first person from the Pacific to hold the position.

The nomination—the result of a vote in Manila—came seven months after the WHO ousted former regional director Takeshi Kasai following staff accusations of racist, abusive and authoritarian behavior.

The move was a first for the WHO, which has faced accusations of not being transparent on internal misconduct.

Piukala will be in charge of the WHO's Western Pacific region, covering almost 1.9 billion people across 37 territories, with its headquarters in Manila.

Unlike other UN agencies, the WHO's six regional directors are relatively powerful and enjoy a fair degree of autonomy. They are elected by member states in the region, before being appointed by the global executive board.

"I will be the regional director for everyone," Piukala declared after he was announced the winner.

Thirty member states voted in a secret ballot on Tuesday. Five candidates from China, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vietnam were in the running for the job.

Piukala won after several rounds of voting, a person with knowledge of the vote told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

In a statement issued Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the vote was a "particularly important moment."

"I look forward to working closely with whomever you choose," Tedros had said.

The committee's nomination of Piukala will be submitted to the global executive board's meeting in January. He is expected to be approved and will take up the role in February.

Acting Regional Director Zsuzsanna Jakab told reporters on Friday she felt "very positive" about the next regional director fostering a respectful workplace.

A slew of accusations against Kasai emerged in January last year from staff past and present, in revelations first published by the Associated Press news agency.

Kasai, who denied the allegations, was accused of presiding over a "toxic atmosphere" at the WHO's Western Pacific headquarters with a culture of "systemic bullying and public ridiculing."

The staff, who wished to remain anonymous "for fear of retaliation," accused him of making "derogatory remarks to staff of certain nationalities," in particular Filipinos.

He was also accused of mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic, abusing his power to secure his re-election and nepotism. — Agence France-Presse