00:00Indonesia's candidate to lead the World Health Organization, Budi Gunadi Sadikin,
00:05says the United States should rejoin the agency after Washington withdrew earlier this year.
00:10His reasoning, it is scientifically impossible for any country to protect its citizens alone
00:16during a pandemic, calling for the US to return to the WHO.
00:21The United States was WHO's biggest donor before President Donald Trump ordered its withdrawal in January 2025.
00:28Trump accused the agency of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic, a claim the WHO denies.
00:35Budi is one of six candidates to replace WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
00:41with other nominees from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Botswana and Belgium.
00:48A former banker who worked at IBM and later ran state-owned bank Mandiri,
00:53Budi is the only candidate without a medical or WHO background.
00:57He is instead highlighting his experience in raising funds as the WHO faces a major financial shortfall
01:05after the US withdrawal.
01:07Budi says Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto personally nominated him for the post earlier this year.
01:14The WHO will announce all nominations later this month,
01:17with member states expected to elect the next Director General in May 2027.
01:23...
01:23...
01:23...
Comments