Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) overwhelmingly re-elected Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as director-general for a five-year term, the president of the World Health Assembly said on Tuesday.

Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh, from Djibouti, announced a secret ballot at a key annual meeting, seen as a formality because Tedros was the only candidate running.

Ministers and delegates took turns shaking hands and hugging Tedros, a former health minister from Ethiopia who has led the UN agency through turbulent times dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The president had to interrupt the applause with the gavel several times.