The World Health Organization (WHO) is in contact with Burundi to clarify the reasons behind the expelling of its representative from the African country, WHO Regional Director for Africa Rebecca Moeti said on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th May, 2020) The World Health Organization (WHO) is in contact with Burundi to clarify the reasons behind the expelling of its representative from the African country, WHO Regional Director for Africa Rebecca Moeti said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Burundi declared the WHO representative and the three other officials personae non grata, accusing them of meddling in the country's internal affairs ahead of the general election, set for May 20.
"Late yesterday afternoon, I was made aware of the decision by the government of Burundi, which has asked our WHO representative and three other persons, one of whom is a consultant to our WHO staff members,� to leave the country immediately. What I would like to say on the matter is that the representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo , is a long-standing well-respected staff member of WHO, an extremely competent person, who is also a good leader and manager. We are in communication with the government of Burundi to clarify and understand the reasoning behind this decision ... We are in the meantime working with the UN system in the country to organize the departure of our staff ... We remain very willing to continue to collaborate with Burundi," Moeti said at a virtual press conference.
She reaffirmed the WHO's commitment not only to assisting Burundi's COVID-19 response but also to tackling other health problems in the country.
