The Letter in the Safe: Anders Nordström Reflects on What Happened 20 years Ago
Twenty years ago this week, Anders Nordström found himself leading the World Health Organization under circumstances no one had anticipated. In a personal account published on the Partnership website, he recalls 22 May 2006 — the opening day of the World Health Assembly — when Director-General Lee Jong-wook died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage, and a sealed letter in a safe changed everything.
What followed was a week of extraordinary pressure: political challenges to the succession, an extra-ordinary Executive Board meeting, hosting the Prince of Wales the following morning, and attending the funeral of a colleague and friend.
Nordström served as Acting Director-General for seven and a half months, until handing over to Margaret Chan in January 2007.
The account closes with a question that feels relevant as WHO no longer has a Deputy Director-General. If something happened today, is there a letter in the safe today as well?
Read the full account here.