Ukraine May Lose Right to Take Part in WHO Director-General Election Due to Debt

Ukrainian authorities could officially lose the right to take part in the forthcoming election of a new director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) because of Kiev's debt to the organization, a source familiar with the situation told Sputnik on Monday.

GENEVA (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, the WHO member states are expected to elect a new director-general of the organization within the framework of the ongoing 70th session of the World Health Assembly, the WHO's decision-making institution.

"The Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, the Comoros Islands and Ukraine have been deprived of voting rights. All these countries have arrears in contribution [to the organization's budget], but all these states have the chance to settle the case," the source said.

The source added that the debtors would finally be deprived of their voting rights in case of absence of the written guarantees to pay their debts.

According to the WHO figures, Ukraine's debt is estimated at $26.39 million for a 2014-2016 period and Kiev's voting rights have been suspended for the first time in 2014.