Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe made WHO goodwill ambassador

cerberus · Oct 21, 2017

I can't imagine what qualifications he has to become a goodwill ambassador to a global institution,
other than he's an African?? An African voting for another African - who'd've thunk it?

"The WHO's new director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the decision at a conference in Uruguay, praising Zimbabwe for its commitment to public health."

'Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' - now there's a name to conjure with. No wonder they call him 'Dr Tedros'? Honestly you couldn't make up all this ****!

http://news.sky.com/story/campaigne...-mugabe-made-who-goodwill-ambassador-11090785

scarlet witch · Oct 21, 2017

the only question here is how much did Mugabe have to pay Tedros for the job

cerberus · Oct 21, 2017

scarlet witch said: ↑

the only question here is how much did Mugabe have to pay Tedros for the job
Click to expand...

I thought that too. However much it was, though, Mugabe will soon make it up when the salary cheques start coming in . . . and some?

scarlet witch · Oct 21, 2017

Mugabe's wealth is 10 million from diamonds, don't think he needs the salary, he bought himself some prestige

cerberus · Oct 21, 2017

scarlet witch said: ↑

Mugabe's wealth is 10 million from diamonds, don't think he needs the salary, he bought himself some prestige
Click to expand...

I'm sure he doesn't need it but he'll take it anyway. Irrational greed is a form of mental illness.

waltky · Oct 21, 2017

What were they thinking???

UN draws anger after naming Mugabe goodwill ambassador
21 Oct.`17 - The United Nations faced criticism on Friday after naming Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe a "goodwill ambassador" to promote health causes, despite the country's dire health crisis under his rule.

The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) asked Mugabe to serve in the role to help tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart attacks, strokes and asthma across Africa. Mugabe, 93, was in Uruguay for the announcement by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said he was "honoured to announce that President Mugabe has agreed to serve as a goodwill ambassador on NCDs for Africa".

Tedros hailed Zimbabwe as "a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the centre of its policies to provide health care to all". Zimbabwe's healthcare system, like many of its public services, has collapsed under Mugabe's authoritarian regime, with most hospitals out of stock of essential medicines and supplies, and nurses and doctors regularly left unpaid.

'Laughable'

The appointment angered international rights campaigners and opposition parties, who also accuse Mugabe of violent repression, election rigging and presiding over the country's economic ruin. "Given Mugabe's appalling human rights record, calling him a Goodwill Ambassador for anything embarrasses WHO and Doctor Tedros," Iain Levine, programme director at Human Rights Watch, said on Twitter. The main MDC opposition party in Zimbabwe described the appointment as "laughable". "The Zimbabwe health delivery system is in a shambolic state, it is an insult," MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu told AFP. "Mugabe trashed our health delivery system. He and his family go outside of the country for treatment in Singapore after he allowed our public hospitals to collapse."

'New feather in President's cap'

Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, is in increasingly fragile health and makes regular trips abroad for medical treatment. The state-run Herald newspaper reported the appointment under the headline "New feather in President's cap". It reported that Mugabe told the WHO conference in Montevideo on Wednesday that Zimbabwe had developed a national policy on NCDs and that he had called for more funds for developing nations.

According to WHO, non-communicable diseases are by far the leading cause of death in the world, killing more than 36 million people each year. The UN agencies such as WHO, UNHCR and Unesco all appoint goodwill ambassadors to highlight specific causes and often draw publicity. The Unicef ambassadors currently include singer Katy Perry and tennis player Serena Williams.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/255101909/un-draws-anger-after-naming-mugabe-goodwill-ambassador
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DivineComedy · Oct 21, 2017

Reminds me of joke on KMET in the early eighties, when Dr. Demento was there, asking who was the president of Zimbabwe.

waltky · Oct 22, 2017

On second thought...

WHO cancels Robert Mugabe goodwill ambassador role
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 - The appointment of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe prompted a global outcry and wide-ranging condemnation

The World Health Organization has revoked the appointment of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador following a widespread outcry. "I have listened carefully to all who have expressed their concerns," WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. He had previously praised Zimbabwe for its commitment to public health. But critics pointed out that Zimbabwe's healthcare system had collapsed in recent years. During the first 20 years of his 37-year rule, Mr Mugabe widely expanded health care, but the system has badly been affected by the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy since 2000.

Staff often go without pay, medicines are in short supply, and Mr Mugabe, who has outlived the average life expectancy in his country by three decades, travels abroad for medical treatment. Mr Tedros said he had consulted with the Zimbabwean government and decided that rescinding Mr Mugabe's position was "in the best interests of" the WHO. He said he remained "firmly committed to working with all countries and their leaders" to build universal health care. Mr Tedros, elected in May under the slogan "let's prove the impossible is possible" had said he hoped Mr Mugabe would use his goodwill ambassador role to "influence his peers in the region".

Mr Mugabe often travels abroad for medical treatment

But the appointment was met by a wave of surprise and condemnation. The UK government, the Canadian prime minister, the Wellcome Trust, the NCD Alliance, UN Watch, the World Heart Federation, Action Against Smoking and Zimbabwean lawyers and social media users were among those who criticised the decision. The BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg reports that Mr Mugabe's supporters are likely to see this episode as Western meddling in Africa.

Questions follow PR disaster

Following the storm of criticism from human rights groups and expressions of dismay from many member states, the WHO had little choice but to cancel its plan to make Robert Mugabe a goodwill ambassador. The about-face will raise questions over the leadership of the WHO's new director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The decision to honour Mr Mugabe is likely to have been taken several weeks ago, and at no point did Mr Tedros seem aware that appointing as goodwill ambassador a man who has been accused of human rights abuses, and of neglecting to the point of collapse his own country's health service, might be controversial. The WHO was supposed to be embarking on a new era of reform. Instead, it is mired in a public relations disaster.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41713919
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Margot2 · Oct 22, 2017

scarlet witch said: ↑

Mugabe's wealth is 10 million from diamonds, don't think he needs the salary, he bought himself some prestige
Click to expand...

Is it really? I thought that was Sierra Leone.

nra37922 · Oct 22, 2017

Cannot male this stuff up.....

Just shows what a JOKE the UN is

scarlet witch · Oct 22, 2017

Margot2 said: ↑

Is it really? I thought that was Sierra Leone.
Click to expand...

Sierra Leone is not the only country with diamonds, in Namibia De Beers is pushing back the ocean. and divers are getting paid a fortune to find diamonds in very dangerous waters.

Botswana had the highest economic growth in the world since independence for quite a number of years, mainly due to diamond trade. Angola is another country with large diamond deposits

I believe the WHO is now reconsidering the Robert Mugabe appointment

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Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe made WHO goodwill ambassador

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Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe made WHO goodwill ambassador

cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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scarlet witch Well-Known Member Past Donor

cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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