Lisbon — Mozambican Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi has said that, if his bid to become the next director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is successful, that will also bring benefits to Mozambique's own health programmes.

Speaking to AIM in Lisbon, Mocumbi stressed "as an African placed in an international organisation with the mission to support health care, I shall guarantee that the WHO develops more programmes in the neediest countries, including Mozambique".

Mocumbi said that, if he becomes the new director-general, he will be an advocate for Africa, attempting to mobilise "the support that Africa needs to carry out the plans and programmes which are currently being designed" - particularly in the fight against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.

He promised that the Mozambican leadership would always be able to count on his support. "I will still be available to advise those in leadership positions, and who need my advice", he said. He was willing to pass on "the secret of my experience, and for this I am always available".

While in Lisbon, Mocumbi received the institutional support of the member states of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) for his candidate. This gesture, Mocumbi said, showed that his support was not restricted to Africa, but included countries from three other continents (Portugal in Europe, Brazil in the Americas, and East Timor in Asia).

However, it is not the 192 members of the WHO who elect the director-general, but only the 32 who sit on the Executive Committee, and these do not include any lusophone country.