Pompeo warns U.S. may never restore WHO funding
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a fundamental reform of the World Health Organization is needed following its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and that the United States, the WHO’s biggest donor, may never restore funding to the U.N. body, Reuters reports.
“I think we need to take a real hard look at the WHO and what we do coming out of this,” Pompeo told Fox News late on Wednesday. “We reformed this back in 2007, so this isn’t the first time we’ve had to deal with the shortcomings of this organization that sits inside the United Nations. We need a fix. We need a structural fix with the WHO.”
President Donald Trump suspended U.S. funding of the WHO last week, accusing it of being “China-centric and promoting China’s “disinformation” about the outbreak. WHO officials have denied this and China insists it has been transparent and open.
The United States has been the biggest overall donor to the WHO, contributing over $400 million in 2019, roughly 15% of its budget. Senior U.S. officials last week told Reuters Washington could redirect these funds to other aid groups.
Pompeo, asked if he was not ruling out a change in leadership of the WHO, replied: “Even more than that, it may be the case that the United States can never return to underwriting, having U.S. taxpayer dollars go to the WHO.”
News.Az
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