China's candidate nominated as WHO chief

The World Health Organisation's 34-nation governing board nominated China's Margaret Chan as its new director-general in a board meeting held behind closed doors Wednesday, AFP reported. The nomination needs the approval of at least two-thirds of the UN health agency's full assembly of 193 members in a vote due on Thursday. If confirmed, which is expected to happen, she will be the first Chinese national to run a leading United Nations agency. Chan, who is a senior WHO official and former Hong Kong health chief, championed health for developing countries in her campaign for the top post. Her nomination came just days after her official backer, China, hosted an unprecedented two-day summit with 48 African nations in Beijing.