Zimbabwe's nonagenarian leader Robert Mugabe has been named a goodwill ambassador of the World Health Organization.The largely ceremonial role was conferred on Mr. Mugabe 93, by the new WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday.

In a surprising move Dr Ghebreyesus, a former minister of Health in Ethiopia explained the choice of Mr. Mugabe as informed by Zimbabwe’s record in public health.

The Ethiopian is the first African to be elected director general of the WHO, replacing Margaret Chan, who left in June.

Member countries and other stakeholders in the international health community have not reacted to Mr. Mugabe’s controversial designation as goodwill ambassador despite international sanctions on him and other members of his government.

Over the past 15 years the veteran Zimbabwe leader has been under fire both nationally and internationally for presiding over a crisis-ridden country with headline inflation and collapsed health infrastructure and services.