Critics urge WHO to reverse choice of Mugabe as goodwill envoy

[rooster59]

Critics urge WHO to reverse choice of Mugabe as goodwill envoy

By Stephanie Nebehay and Kate Kelland

 

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe addresses a meeting of his ruling ZANU PF party's youth league in Harare, Zimbabwe, October 7, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

 

GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) should overturn its decision to appoint Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador, global health leaders said on Saturday, describing the move as unjustifiable and wrong.

 

Britain said Mugabe's appointment was "surprising and disappointing" and added that it risked overshadowing the WHO's global work. The United States, which has imposed sanctions on Mugabe for alleged human rights violations, said it was "disappointed."

 

"This appointment clearly contradicts the United Nations' ideals of respect for human rights and human dignity," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.

 

"This selection underscores why the United States continues to push for U.N. reform and leadership actions that uphold our shared U.N. ideals."

 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the appointment at a high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Uruguay on Wednesday.

 

The meeting was attended by Mugabe, 93. He is blamed in the West for destroying his country's economy and numerous human rights abuses during his 37 years leading the country as either president or prime minister.

 

In a speech, Tedros praised Zimbabwe as "a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the centre of its policies to provide health care to all".

 

The former Ethiopian health and foreign minister, who was elected last May as WHO's first African director-general, added: "Today I am also honoured to announce that President Mugabe has agreed to serve as a goodwill ambassador on NCDs for Africa to influence his peers in his region to prioritize NCDs."

 

But the NCD Alliance, which represents 28 international health groups seeking to combat chronic diseases, said it was "shocked and deeply concerned" to hear of the appointment, given Mugabe’s "long track record of human rights violations".

 

Jeremy Farrar, a leading global health specialist and director of the Wellcome Trust charity also said the decision was "deeply disappointing and wrong" and called on Tedros to be brave and reverse it.

 

"Robert Mugabe fails in every way to represent the values WHO should stand for and those that Dr Tedros has stood for since becoming DG and has done over many years," Farrar said. "Brave leaders are willing to listen, rethink and overturn bad decisions, this is one such case," he said.

 

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said the WHO chief had made the move seeking broad support for the agency's work.

 

"Tedros has frequently talked of his determination to build a global movement to promote high-level political leadership for health," he said by e-mail.

Human rights activists also criticised the move.

 

Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based group UN Watch described the choice by WHO, a United Nations agency as "sickening".

 

"The government of Robert Mugabe has brutalized human rights activists, crushed democracy dissidents, and turned the breadbasket of Africa — and its health system — into a basket-case," he said.

 

He noted that Mugabe himself had travelled to Singapore for medical treatment three times this year rather than in his homeland.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-21

 

[Samui Bodoh]

32 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based group UN Watch described the choice by WHO, a United Nations agency as "sickening".

 

"The government of Robert Mugabe has brutalized human rights activists, crushed democracy dissidents, and turned the breadbasket of Africa — and its health system — into a basket-case," he said.

 

He noted that Mugabe himself had travelled to Singapore for medical treatment three times this year rather than in his homeland.

 

What the hell is the UN thinking?

 

It is stupid decisions like this that undermine all the good work and effort built up over the decades. In this modern age of rapid transportation, the need for an effective global organization focusing on health issues and international disease control  is more important that it has ever been. And appointing Mugabe as a 'Goodwill Ambassador' simply brings scorn and ridicule to the effort.

 

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[ezzra]

The UN... waste of time, pompous,  bloated, archaic and mostly irrelevant to today's real needs of the emerging new worlds, not to mention it's blindness and biases policies to favor this or that group

of nations and entities....  

[Credo]

He's a perfect choice.   He's sort of like a bad disease.   

[FreddieRoyle]

34 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The UN... waste of time, pompous,  bloated, archaic and mostly irrelevant to today's real needs of the emerging new worlds, not to mention it's blindness and biases policies to favor this or that group

of nations and entities....  

It completes the Grand Slam for the UN. First they chose the Saudis to speak for womens rights, then they hounded and vilified poor Aung Saan Su Kyi, and now this. Big Bob as Goodwill Envoy. Well, UN, nice knowing you, and will the last one out pls turn off the lights.

[worgeordie]

With Hitler,Stalin,Pol Pot,dead,i suppose Mugabe was their

next best choice !

regards worgeordie

[Publicus]

 

There is no wild mystery to the lunatic appointment. Zimbabwe is a colony of Beijing which essentially owns the country and is exploiting its resources and Beijing has clout at the UN. Mugabe and Xi Jinping are BFF.

WHO Chief Now 'Rethinking' Mugabe 'Goodwill Ambassador' Post

After widespread shock and condemnation, the head of the World Health Organization said Saturday he is "rethinking" his appointment of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as a "goodwill ambassador."

 

In a new tweet, WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said that "I'm listening. I hear your concerns. Rethinking the approach in light of WHO values. I will issue a statement as soon as possible."

 

 

https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwean-president-mugabe-receives-controbersial-who-appointment/4080432.html

Edited October 22, 2017 by Publicus
Technical

[Tchooptip]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

With Hitler,Stalin,Pol Pot,dead,i suppose Mugabe was their

next best choice !

regards worgeordie

One could no say better... unless they hesitated with Kim Jong-un?

[Chris Lawrence]

No, the WHO should be reversed. That is get rid of the people involved with such a decision; then get right people to make the right decision.

[ronrat]

Quote

 

Up there with the idiots who gave the Nobel peace prize to Obama

[Publicus]

13 minutes ago, ronrat said:

Up there with the idiots who gave the Nobel peace prize to Obama

 

Trump just flat out gets The Prize period.

[mackayae]

Over the years he has been granted a knighthood, many honorary doctorates and now a Goodwill Ambassador. It says more of the people  who granted these accolades than the man himself.

Edited October 22, 2017 by mackayae

[Stargeezr]

The WHO is lead by idiots who should be replaced with people with brains, and know

how to use them. Shameful and Disgusting,

Geezer

[craigt3365]

22 minutes ago, mackayae said:

Over the years he has been granted a knighthood, many honorary doctorates and now a Goodwill Ambassador. It says more of the people  who granted these accolades than the man himself.

Several awards have been taken back...

[roundtheworld]

Goodwill ambassador! Bit late in the year for an April Fools joke.

[Publicus]

 

Mugabe has been going increasingly to Singapore for medical treatment. 

 

It is good the USA has a presence in Africa to assist people in countries such as Zimbabwe to possibly come to power and who are more compatible with our values. 

 

Mugabe has said many times China is his model while he and Xi Jinping are BFF. For Mugabe forever is coming soon.

Edited October 22, 2017 by Publicus
Rest in hell.

[tonbridgebrit]

4 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Several awards have been taken back...

Craigt, what are we seeing ?  

The UN makes a few decisions that people agree with, and people want to bang the drum for whatever UN ruling. All of a sudden, the UN makes a decision that people don't like, and oh, and people want the decision to be thrown in the bin. Yes, I myself reckon that a few of the UN's rulings should be thrown in the bin.

How about this ? Scrap the UN, it's basically an irrelevant and useless institution.  It's main point is to prevent World War Three. Well, Russia and China have got their nukes aimed at America, and America has got it's nukes aimed at Russia and China. That's why World War Three won't break out. So, what's the point of the UN ? 
There isn't a point ?

[phantomfiddler]

Is this some sort of sick joke ?

[daveAustin]

Is he still alive, then? Yuck!

[Machiavelli]

Should take the Nobel Peace Prize from the warmongering Obama while they are at it. 

[Machiavelli]

5 hours ago, Publicus said:

 

Mugabe has been going increasingly to Singapore for medical treatment. 

 

It is good the USA has a presence in Africa to assist people in countries such as Zimbabwe to possibly come to power and who are more compatible with our values. 

 

Mugabe has said many times China is his model while he and Xi Jinping are BFF. For Mugabe forever is coming soon.

A Zimbabwean compatible with American values. Such sickening arrogance! Unbelievable. 

Edited October 22, 2017 by Machiavelli

[Machiavelli]

30 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Is this some sort of sick joke ?

Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize was a sick joke. This comes a close second. 

[Slip]

36 minutes ago, Machiavelli said:

Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize was a sick joke. This comes a close second. 

Stop ranting on about Obama for fs.  This is about Mugabe and the UN.  Appalling decision.

[Machiavelli]

36 minutes ago, Slip said:

Stop ranting on about Obama for fs.  This is about Mugabe and the UN.  Appalling decision.

I am sorry but you can only stop me if i am on your own forum. On this forum i am allowed to think and make comparisons. Funny telling me to "stop" like Mugabe. lol.

[Slip]

9 minutes ago, Machiavelli said:

I am sorry but you can only stop me if i am on your own forum. On this forum i am allowed to think and make comparisons. Funny telling me to "stop" like Mugabe. lol.

I was merely suggesting that you should stay on topic.  That is good netiquette. It wasn't a Mugabe style dictate, but I still think you should not drag this to Obama (or any other US politician for that matter.)

[tonbridgebrit]

1 hour ago, Machiavelli said:

A Zimbabwean compatible with American values. Such sickening arrogance! Unbelievable. 

+1

Actually, it's not so much American values, it's more Washington's values. And it's not just arrogance. It's sickening HYPOCRISY.

[Morch]

4 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Craigt, what are we seeing ?  

The UN makes a few decisions that people agree with, and people want to bang the drum for whatever UN ruling. All of a sudden, the UN makes a decision that people don't like, and oh, and people want the decision to be thrown in the bin. Yes, I myself reckon that a few of the UN's rulings should be thrown in the bin.

How about this ? Scrap the UN, it's basically an irrelevant and useless institution.  It's main point is to prevent World War Three. Well, Russia and China have got their nukes aimed at America, and America has got it's nukes aimed at Russia and China. That's why World War Three won't break out. So, what's the point of the UN ? 
There isn't a point ?

 

There isn't a point ?

 

Sums your post nicely. A bunch of mumbo jumvo half baked statements with not much by way of a point. Same old.

 

There is no requirement that governments, organizations or posters will agree or applaud each and every UN decision. As with most things in life, it's a mixed bag. That said, some decisions are more obviously dodgy than others - the one in the OP makes a good example. And indeed, it's already been canceled.

 

 

 

[Morch]

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

+1

Actually, it's not so much American values, it's more Washington's values. And it's not just arrogance. It's sickening HYPOCRISY.

 

It's about irrelevant cut and paste US bashing, like most of your posts (hypocrisy included).

[Machiavelli]

1 hour ago, Slip said:

I was merely suggesting that you should stay on topic.  That is good netiquette. It wasn't a Mugabe style dictate, but I still think you should not drag this to Obama (or any other US politician for that matter.)

I am right on topic. Mugabe does not deserve that role( the offer has since been withdrawn) as much as Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. A warmonger is no different to a dictator! 

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, mackayae said:

Over the years he has been granted a knighthood, many honorary doctorates and now a Goodwill Ambassador. It says more of the people  who granted these accolades than the man himself.

 

Which country granted him a knighthood?