MEDIA ADVISORY: Election of WHO Director-General -- Guidelines and Information for Media

MEDIA ADVISORY: Election of WHO Director-General -- Guidelines and Information for Media

October 12, 2006

    The election of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Director-General will take place in Geneva from 6-9
November 2006.  There will be two separate meetings in two
separate venues. Below journalists can find practical
information relating to accreditation, access to meetings,
and news conference, photo and broadcast opportunities.

    The WHO Executive Board (EB) will meet from 6 to 8
November at WHO Headquarters and will nominate a person for
the post of Director-General.  Journalists will be able to
listen to proceedings during the public sessions, which
include the short opening session on the morning of 6
November, the late-afternoon session on 6 November when the
short-list is announced, and the closing session on 8
November when the name of the person nominated for the post
will be made public.  Otherwise, the EB will conduct
proceedings related to the nomination in a session which is
open only to Members of the Board and one representative for
each Member State.  Journalists will not be allowed in the
Executive Board room during these sessions. 

    On 9 November 2006, the World Health Assembly will meet
at the United Nations Palais des Nations Assembly Hall for a
special session.  The Health Assembly will consider the
nomination of the Director-General at a private meeting and
shall come to a decision through a secret ballot. 
Journalists will be able to follow the public sessions from
the media gallery (on the 2nd balcony).  These include the
opening of the session in the morning and the closing of
the meeting when the successful candidate will be publicly
announced and will make a speech. 

    Media Accreditation procedures

    Correspondents wishing to cover the Executive Board
from 6-8 November must apply to the Communications
Department at the World Health Organization.  To do this,
journalists should send a fax [phone]) or email
([e-mail]) requesting accreditation, along
with a letter signed by their editor indicating the reason
for accreditation, the dates for which accreditation is
required and a photocopy of media credentials. 
Accreditation badges will be available to journalists at
the reception of WHO during the afternoon of Sunday 5
November from 16.00hrs to 17.30hrs and on Monday 6 November
from 08.00hrs. 

    Correspondents wishing to cover the World Health
Assembly on 9 November must apply to the United Nations
Department of Public Information (DPI) at the Palais des
Nations in Geneva.  This must include a letter signed by
their editor indicating the reason for accreditation, a
photocopy of media credentials and passport. Journalists
can call [phone], or [phone], or email
Catherine Fegli at [e-mail] for more information.  To
facilitate the accreditation process, journalists are
strongly encouraged to apply early.  Once these documents
have been approved by DPI, journalists can collect their
accreditation at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, at the
Pregny gate (in front of the International Committee of the
Red Cross).

    Facilities for Media -- WHO 

    During 6-8 November, journalists will have access to a
conference room in headquarters from which they will be
able to monitor, by video conference, the public sessions. 
News material, news conferences and other announcements will
be made available in this room on an on-going basis
throughout the meeting. 

    Facilities for Media -- UN Palais des Nations

    During the Asssembly, WHO will organize its press
conferences at Press Room III (Gate 6).  To avoid access
problems, journalists must wear their accreditation badges
visibly.  Press conferences will be announced via the
loudspeaker system and will be posted on a notice board
situated in Press Room I (Gate 6). Important documents,
news releases, the scheduling of news conferences and
briefings, and other items of interest to correspondents
will also be available in Press Room I. 

    Photographs

    Information on the WHO Photo Service for media can be
obtained from Mr Chris Black, email [e-mail], Tel.
[phone] or mobile: [phone].

    Video for Broadcasters -- related to both meetings

    For information on taping of events in the Assembly
Hall, taping of interviews for broadcast TV and the
feedpoint to EBU Geneva through WHO TV Studios or UNTV
Geneva, please contact Jean-Marc Glinz, email:
[e-mail] Tel.: [phone] or mobile: [phone]
5515.

    Please note that:

    -- WHO will only provide tapes for broadcasters (in
Betacam SP PAL)

    -- To reserve a live link from EBU Geneva to the final
destination, please 
       contact EBU planning at [phone] or send
email to 
       [e-mail]. 

    General information for photo & television
correspondents

    -- WHO requests that photo journalists respect the
rules set out by 
       Security and Protocol Officers at the Executive
Board and World Health 
       Assembly.  Flash units may be used, but
photographers are encouraged to 
       use telephoto lenses and avoid grouping around
speakers so as not to 
       disturb their work. 

    -- Due to space limitations, access to the floor of the
EB and WHA during 
       public sessions will be limited and a pool situation
for video and 
       photographs will likely be in effect. 

    List of related documents:

    Process 

    -- The Resolution to accelerate the election of the DG
      
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB118/B118_20-en.pdf

    -- Director-General:  Nomination for the post -- Note
by the Legal Counsel
      
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB119/B119_ID1-en.pdf

    -- Proposals for DG candidates including the list of
candidates 
      
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2006/np22/en/index.html

    -- Questions & Answers DG election 
      
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/selection_faq/en/index.html

    -- Composition of the Executive Board 
       http://www.who.int/governance/eb/en/index.html

    For further information, please call the WHO Media
Centre at ([phone] or contact: 

     Christine McNab, 
     Communications Officer, WHO, Geneva
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail] 

     Fadela Chaib, 
     Communications Officer, WHO, Geneva
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail] 

     Iain Simpson, 
     Communications Officer, WHO, Geneva
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail] 

    For audiovisual requests: 

     Jean-Marc Glinz
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Chris Black
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]  

     All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features as
well as other information on this subject can be obtained
on Internet on the WHO home page: http://www.who.int/

SOURCE  World Health Organization