Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2017. He is an Ethiopian biologist and academic, widely recognized as a global authority in public health and an internationally acclaimed malaria researcher. He holds a PhD in Community Health from the University of Nottingham, a Master’s degree in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Asmara.
He began his career at the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, where he held technical and leadership positions for over a decade. From 2005 to 2012, he served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, leading major health system reforms focused on expanding access to care, strengthening primary healthcare, and scaling up the health workforce, resulting in significant improvements in maternal and child health indicators.
He later served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2016, focusing on international cooperation and global health diplomacy. He also chaired the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
He was elected WHO Director-General in 2017 by the World Health Assembly and assumed office in July of the same year. Since then, he has led the organization on global health priorities, including health system strengthening, emergency response, health equity, and international health coordination.
