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A Lancet Special Report (Oct 29, p 2072)1 provided the six candidates competing for the post of the next Director-General of WHO an opportunity to briefly present their manifestos. The candidates' priorities are important because they will influence the agenda of WHO, the institution mandated as the directing and coordinating authority on international health.
The extent to which the candidates' manifestos aligned with the political priorities expressed in the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) health-related targets2 was analysed (appendix ). Alignment with these ambitious yet appropriate targets3 is crucial because WHO is expected to provide the international community leadership and technical support in their realisation. The following three further principles of Agenda 2030 will be equally important for realising the health-related targets: leaving no one behind, rights-based approaches, and gender-sensitivity (a determinant of ill-health, health-seeking behaviour, and health outcomes).4 Moreover, Agenda 2030 requires different methods of working for WHO, including intersectoral collaboration, engagement with non-state actors (particularly civil society and the private sector), and addressing the social determinants of health, all of which are included in this analysis.1
Candidates prioritise certain targets and issues over others. David Nabarro mentions the highest number of targets and issues in his manifesto (19), whereas Miklós Szócska mentions the least (11). Surprisingly, many of the targets do not feature among the priorities of any candidate. Substance misuse, road traffic injuries, and neglected tropical diseases are...