Indonesian Health Minister: WHO Director-General Candidacy is 'President's Mandate'

Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has revealed that his candidacy for the Director-General position at the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2026 is a task and mandate given by President Prabowo Subianto. Sadikin explained that many countries, including Indonesia, feel the need for a global leader to represent the interests of developing nations, often referred to as the Global South. "(The candidacy) is a mandate from the President, who conveyed that we are a large country but have never held the top position in a UN agency. He saw such an opportunity, so I was asked to try and run. If assigned by the President, I must carry it out," Sadikin told reporters at the Bina Graha courtyard, Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (31/8/2026). He further elaborated on the importance of representation from Global South countries, citing their significant populations. "Many countries feel that the representation or voice of developing countries or the Global South needs to be heard more, because in terms of population, they are larger and poorer, thus requiring a representative from these Global South or developing countries in the leadership of world institutions like the WHO," he stated. Sadikin also shared the specific message entrusted to him by President Prabowo: "He entrusted me with the mandate to represent these developing countries so they can receive attention on the global stage." The selection process for the WHO Director-General is described as lengthy, with approximately two more stages remaining until the candidates are narrowed down to three finalists. The WHO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, is currently led by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former foreign and health minister of Ethiopia, and the first person from the African continent to be elected as Director-General. Ghebreyesus is currently serving his second term, having first taken office for the period 2017-2022, followed by a second term from 2022-2027. According to the official WHO website, updated on August 22, 2026, four candidates are in the running for WHO Director-General, each proposed by one country. The list includes Budi Gunadi Sadikin (Indonesia), Hans Henri P. Kluge (Belgium), Hanan Balkhy (Saudi Arabia), and Hanan Mohammed Al-Kuwari (Qatar).