Addis Ababa 23 May (ANA) - Ethiopia's former Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom could be elected as the next head of the UN's World Health Organization today. Mr Tedros is facing two challengers in the election, which will take place at the WHO's headquarters in Switzerland. All 194 delegates - representing the member states - will get a vote. His two challengers are David Nabarro from the UK and Sania Nishtar, a former health minister in Pakistan.

Mr Tedros' candidacy is being backed by the African Union but it is not without controversy. He has been accused of covering up three cholera epidemics in Ethiopia, but his supporters have said that this was a deliberate effort to smear him. Ethiopian opposition groups are also critical of Mr Tedros. They accuse the government of human rights abuses and believe that through the WHO vote it is trying to raise the country's diplomatic profile.

The election is due to start at 12:00 GMT, the AFP news agency reports. On Monday, proceedings at the meeting were interrupted by a protester shouting at Mr Tedros from a viewing balcony.(ANA)

FA/ANA/23 May 2017------