Sixty-third Regional Committee for Europe: Çeşme Izmir, 16–19 September 2013: appointment of a regional evaluation group

W ORL D H E A LT H O RG A N I Z AT IO N R EG I ON A L O F F I C E FO R EU R O P E UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Telephone: +45 45 33 70 00 Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Email: governance@euro.who.int Web: http://www.euro.who.int/en/who-we-are/governance Regional Committee for Europe EUR/RC63/Inf.Doc./2 Sixty-third session Çeşme Izmir, Turkey, 16–19 September 2013 29 August 2013 131950 Provisional agenda item 6 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Appointment of a regional evaluation group The Regional Committee appointed a regional search group (RSG) for candidates for the post of Regional Director in 1989, 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2008, and charged it with applying criteria adopted in Regional Committee decisions and resolutions EUR/RC38(3), EUR/RC40/R3, EUR/RC43/R5 and EUR/RC47/R5. The Rules of Procedure governing the membership and method of work of the RSG were further amended in 2001 (resolution EUR/RC51/R4) and more recently in 2010 (resolution EUR/RC60/R3). Pursuant to these amendments, the RSG is now called the regional evaluation group (REG). The Regional Committee should now appoint a REG to evaluate and short-list candidates for the post of Regional Director. This document sets out the REG’s terms of reference; its membership and selection procedure; its method of work and timetable; as well as the criteria for candidates for the post of Regional Director. The Regional Committee is invited to appoint the members and alternates of the REG, after considering a list of names proposed by Member States in the Region in accordance with Rule 14.2.2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee. EUR/RC63/Inf.Doc./2 page 1 Introduction 1. Rule 47.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee for Europe stipulates that “At its session preceding the one at which a person is due to be nominated as Regional Director, the Regional Committee shall appoint a Regional Evaluation Group composed of three members chosen from delegations of the Members attending the Regional Committee, based on equitable geographical representation, to make a preliminary evaluation of candidates for nomination in the light of the criteria specified by the Regional Committee and to perform related functions as set out in this Rule. The Regional Committee shall also appoint three alternates to the Regional Evaluation Group.” 2. Under the terms of Rule 47.1, the Regional Committee at its sixty-third session should therefore appoint a Regional Evaluation Group (REG) to make a preliminary evaluation of candidates for nomination to the post of Regional Director by the Regional Committee at its sixty-fourth session. Terms of reference 3. The terms of reference of the REG, as set out in document EUR/RC40/4, approved in resolution EUR/RC40/R3 and amended by the Regional Committee in resolution EUR/RC60/R3, are: • “to enter into dialogue with Member States and encourage them to nominate suitable candidates; • to consult with and consider the views of the Director-General concerning the candidates; • to interview all candidates, consider their written statements and evaluate their views and intentions in relation to the requirements of the post; • to evaluate the candidates and report thereon to the Regional Committee.” 4. Additionally, the Regional Committee at its sixtieth session adopted an amendment to Rule 47 of the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee, which states that: 47.10 […] the Chairperson of the Regional Evaluation Group shall send, under confidential cover, the evaluation report of the Search Group on all candidates, and an unranked short-list of not more than five candidates who in its opinion most closely meet the criteria laid down, to the President, the Executive President and the Deputy Executive President of the Committee, to each Member State of the Region according to the Regional Office’s list of official contacts, and to the Director-General.” Membership and selection procedure 5. In accordance with Rule 47.1, the REG shall be composed of three members chosen from delegations of the Members attending the Regional Committee, based on equitable geographical representation. The Regional Committee shall also appoint three alternates to the REG. Rule 47.2(a) provides that the selection of the members and alternates of the REG shall be carried out, mutatis mutandis, in accordance with the procedure set forth in Rule 14.2.2. 6. Accordingly, the Regional Director invited Member States of the Region to send nominations for membership of the REG. The list of nominations received from Member States EUR/RC63/Inf.Doc./2 page 2 within the deadline of 15 March 2013, as set forth in Rule 14.2.2(a), is reproduced in document EUR/RC63/7 Rev 1. 7. As to the modalities for the appointment of the members and alternates of the REG, Rule 47.2(a) applies. 8. Pursuant to Rule 47.2(b), members and alternates shall cease to serve on the REG if a candidate is presented by the Member State on whose delegation they served at the Regional Committee when they were appointed. Work of the REG 9. Once appointed, the members of the REG will recall the criteria for candidates for the post of Regional Director as adopted by the Regional Committee at its fortieth session (resolution EUR/RC40/R3) and affirmed and supplemented at its forty-seventh session (resolution EUR/RC47/R5). These criteria are reproduced in Annex 1. 10. As noted in section 3 of document EUR/RC40/4, “it is suggested that, in future, candidates be invited to present to the REG a written statement outlining their views on the future strategy, policies and role of WHO in Europe”. Members of the REG would therefore be expected to use both written statements and interviews in evaluating individual candidates. It should also be noted that, pursuant to Rule 47.8 of the Rules of Procedure, the REG may, if it deems it desirable, make arrangements for all candidates to give a time-limited oral presentation at a meeting to which all Member States of the Region are invited. 11. The REG may, should it so wish, seek the opinion of outside public health experts and other bodies. 12. The attention of REG members and alternates will be drawn to the need for confidentiality on all discussions regarding the assessment of candidates. Conclusion 13. The Regional Committee is invited to appoint members and alternates of the REG, following which the REG will meet as soon as possible to decide upon its programme and method of work. A provisional timetable of events is given in Annex 2. EUR/RC63/Inf.Doc./2 page 3 Annex 1. Criteria for candidates for the post of Regional Director The following criteria were adopted by the Regional Committee at its fortieth session (resolution EUR/RC40/R3) and affirmed and supplemented at its forty-seventh session (resolution EUR/RC47/R5). (a) The candidate must have a commitment to WHO’s mission The candidate should be committed to the values, role and policies of WHO and notably the goal of health for all. There should be clear evidence of his/her personal involvement in furthering that commitment. (b) The candidate must have proven leadership qualities and integrity The candidate must be dynamic and must have demonstrated long-term and consistent leadership qualities. A commitment to outcomes and effective results – as opposed to merely a concern about processes – is essential. Ability to communicate in a clear and inspiring way is an important requirement. Such communication skills need to be effective with widely different target groups, including the mass media, and involve direct personal contact with political and other leaders in the public health field, health personnel, a wide range of academic and other professional groups outside the health sector, and WHO staff, etc. In view of the high goals of WHO and its impartial international character, the personal integrity of the candidate and the ability to withstand pressures from official or private sources contrary to the interests of the Organization are essential. (c) The candidate must have proven managerial ability The person should have demonstrated clear ability to manage a complex organization in the health field. His/her performance in that role should have demonstrated a determination to make a thorough analysis of the problems and possibilities for solving them; the setting of clear goals and objectives; the design of appropriate programmes for optimal use of the total resources; the efficient use of those resources; and a careful process for monitoring and evaluation. Importance should be attached to the candidate’s skills in fostering teamwork – with appropriate delegation of responsibility – and in creating a harmonious working environment. In view of the need for the work of the Region to interact with and actively support the efforts of other regions and headquarters, the candidate’s ability to work effectively with leaders, at both national and international levels, in health and other sectors, is an important element. (d) The candidate should be a person professionally qualified in the field of health and having a sound knowledge of public health and of its epidemiological basis This type of qualification and background would greatly assist the candidate in the performance of his/her duties, and in contacts with national health administrations. (e) The candidate must have a broad understanding of the health problems and social, political, cultural, ethnic and other sensitive issues in the Region In view of the above, it follows that the candidate would normally be a national of one of the Member States of the Region. The candidate should be fluent in at least one of the working languages of the Regional Committee, and knowledge of others would be an asset. (f) The candidate must be sufficiently healthy to carry out the duties of the post It is acknowledged that being sufficiently healthy to carry out the duties of the post would not preclude a physically handicapped person from being considered. EUR/RC63/Inf.Doc./2 page 4 Annex 2. Provisional timetable for the work of the Regional Evaluation Group 2013–2014 September 2013 The Regional Committee appoints a REG to prepare for nomination of the Regional Director at the next session. The REG meets to decide on its programme of work. October 2013 The Director-General informs Member States that candidatures for the post of Regional Director should be submitted by 14 February 2014. February 2014 Deadline for submission of candidatures: 14 February 2014. No more than two weeks later the Director-General transmits a list of names and all particulars of candidates received to the Chairperson of the REG. February 2014 The President of the Regional Committee, at the proposal of the Chairperson of the REG, decides whether or not the deadline for submitting candidatures should be extended, in which case the Chairperson of the REG notifies the Director-General of the decision of the President of the Regional Committee, who in turn informs the Member States in the European Region, who may then submit names. March/April 2014 The REG commences its review and interviews and makes an evaluation of the candidates, holding consultations with the Director-General as required. May 2014 The REG may make arrangements for all candidates to give a time- limited oral presentation at a meeting of all Member States of the Region prior to the opening of the World Health Assembly. July 2014 The Director-General sends the list of candidates and their particulars to Member States (i.e. to the Regional Office’s list of official contacts) and to the Chairperson of the REG. The Chairperson of the REG sends the evaluation report of the REG, and an unranked short-list of not more than five candidates, under confidential cover to the President, the Executive President and the Deputy Executive President of the Regional Committee, to each Member State in the Region according to the Regional Office’s list of official contacts, and to the Director-General. September 2014 The Regional Committee nominates a candidate for the post of Regional Director and submits its nomination to the Director- General for forwarding to the Executive Board.