An invitation to make Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe a "goodwill ambassador" for the World Health Organization has been rescinded after international outrage scuttled the idea.

Reuters:

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus named Mugabe to the largely ceremonial post at a high-level WHO meeting on chronic diseases, attended by both men, in Uruguay on Wednesday.

At the time, Tedros praised Zimbabwe as “a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the center of its policies to provide health care to all”.

 

But Tedros said in a statement that he had listened to those expressing concerns and heard the “different issues” raised.

“Over the last few days, I have reflected on my appointment of H.E. President Robert Mugabe as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for NCDs in Africa. As a result I have decided to rescind the appointment,” Tedros said.

“I have also consulted with the Government of Zimbabwe and we have concluded that this decision is in the best interests of the World Health Organization,” he added.

Several former and current WHO staff had said privately they were appalled at the “poor judgment” and “miscalculation” by Tedros, elected the first African head of WHO in May.

Mugabe was head of the African Union (AU) when the bloc endorsed Tedros - a former health and foreign minister of Ethiopia - over other African candidates for the top post, without any real regional contest or debate, they said.

Mugabe, 93, is blamed in the West for destroying Zimbabwe’s economy and numerous human rights abuses during his 37 years leading the country as either president or prime minister.

This kind of mutual back scratching is common at the UN - which is why it is such a thoroughly corrupt organization. But even this invitation went too far. Mugabe is an unrestrained tyrant of the first order - one of the worst in modern history. I hesitate to use a Hitler analogy, but its damn close.

Cronyism, nepotism, and casual corruption are what the United Nations are all about. That, plus a virulent anti-Americanism and public anti-Israel sentiments call into question why we are involved in the world body anyway. Its faults far outweigh any virtue in participating in such a biased, corrupt forum. At the very least, US funding of the UN should be cut back and other nations that actually benefit from the UN's bias be made to pay more - a lot more.

Mugabe has done enough damage in his long life. No reason to reward his oppression with international recognition.