VSchanges Geneva deadline, adds details

GENEVA, May 24 (Reuters) – Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have re-elected Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as director-general by a strong majority for another five years, the president of the World Health Assembly said on Tuesday.

The vote by secret ballot, announced by Djibouti’s Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh at a major annual meeting, was seen as a formality since Tedros was the only candidate in the running.

Ministers and delegates took turns shaking hands and kissing Tedros, a former health minister from Ethiopia, who led the UN agency through a turbulent period dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic . The president had to use several hammer blows to interrupt the applause.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach tweeted on Tuesday: “I have just been re-elected as Managing Director of #WHO: @DrTedros. 155/160 votes, spectacular result. Congratulations, fully deserved. Germany has recently overtook the United States as the top donor United Nations health agency.

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby, Emma Farge and Mrinalika Roy; Additional reporting by Paul Carrel; Editing by Catherine Evans)

((Madeline.Chambers@thomsonreuters.com; +4930220133578;))

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