Chairman of the Executive Board
Mr Rahhal El Makkaoui is a qualified hydraulic engineer from the Mohammadia Engineering School in Rabat, Morocco. He also holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from the National Institute of Civil Engineering in Paris and a law degree from Mohamed V University in Rabat. Mr El Makkaoui has been Secretary General of the Ministry of Health of Morocco since 2008. He previously held successive posts as Head of environmental studies, water resources studies and strategic studies at the Moroccan Drinking Water Authority, and was subsequently Principal Private Secretary in the office of the Undersecretary to the Minister for Social Development, with responsibility for family matters, children and the disabled.
Mr El Makkaoui believes that the coming year will be decisive for WHO. The Executive Board will need to make a close study of the programme of reform of the Organization through a participative approach that brings together the various stakeholders with the ultimate aim of creating a better-financed organization that is refocused, more agile, more responsive and has a greater capacity to meet growing health needs.
Mr El Makkaoui is of the view that reframing the work of WHO while simultaneously consolidating its role as an international organization that focuses mainly on coordination, guidance and international health monitoring, in addition to capitalizing on its global reach and perspective, is a task worthy of special attention. A process of transparent budgeting, implementation and evaluation should thus deliver a results-based, competitive and high-performing organization.
He also believes that the Executive Board, as an effective platform for concerted action, should help WHO to focus its efforts and concentrate its energies in the areas in which it is generally agreed that it adds value.