The vote bysecret ballot, announced by Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh from Djibouti at a majorannual meeting, was seen as a formality since Tedros was the only candidaterunning.
Ministersand delegates took turns to shake hands and hug Tedros, a former healthminister from Ethiopia, who has steered the UN agency through a turbulentperiod dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The president had to use a gavelseveral times to interrupt the applause.
GermanHealth Minister Karl Lauterbach tweeted on Tuesday: "Just re-elected as Director Generalof #WHO: @DrTedros. 155/160 votes, spectacular result. Congratulations, fully deserved. Germany recentlyovertook the United States as the UN health agency"s top donor.
