The United States' decision to suspend its funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) afflicts significant damage to this global agency that plays a key role in COVID-19 response, Russia's permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva said on Wednesday
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th April, 2020) The United States' decision to suspend its funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) afflicts significant damage to this global agency that plays a key role in COVID-19 response, Russia's permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva said on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump announced the decision on Tuesday, after repeatedly accusing the WHO of failing to properly address the coronavirus pandemic.
"We regret the US' announcement of intention to suspend funding to the WHO. Such steps do significant damage to the international organization that has played and continues playing the key coordinating role in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic," Gennady Gatilov told reporters.
The WHO has always acted within its mandate, complying strictly with member states approaches and being guided by available scientific data, although some countries have been disrespecting its recommendations, Gatilov went on to say, slamming Washington's accusations as politically motivated and hypocritical.
He added that the US was not only a key WHO donor, but a key "avoider" as well, with its debt owed to the organization amounting to around $200 million.
"Washington's recent statements lead to a sad conclusion. The US' withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, from the UN Human Rights Council, suspension of funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the WHO, maybe all this is part of an expedient policy toward destroying the system of international organizations, especially those that the US does not like?" the diplomat noted.
