WHO chief says reasons US gave for withdrawal 'untrue', warns move will make world less safe
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he hopes the US will return to active participation in WHO in the future.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said that the US' stated reasons for withdrawing from the UN health agency are "untrue" and warned that the decision will make the world less safe.
"Unfortunately, the reasons cited for the US decision to withdraw from WHO are untrue. The notification of withdrawal makes both the US and the world less safe," Ghebreyesus wrote on X on Saturday.
He noted that as a founding member, the US contributed "significantly" to the organisation's achievements and reaffirmed that WHO has always engaged with the US and all member states "with full respect for their sovereignty."
"We hope the US will return to active participation in WHO in the future. Meanwhile, WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate: the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people," he said.
The WHO said it stands by its coronavirus response, rejecting US claims that it failed and obstructed the timely and accurate sharing of critical information.
Trump’s long criticism
"The United States also said in its statements that WHO has 'pursued a politicised, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests'. This is untrue. As a specialised agency of the United Nations, governed by 194 Member States, WHO has always been and remains impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty, and without fear or favour," it added.
The US formally completed its withdrawal from the WHO, ending nearly 78 years of membership, said US officials.
The departure took effect January 22, following the required one-year notice period under international rules.
US President Donald Trump has long been a sharp critic of the WHO, particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
He accused the organisation of mishandling the early stages of the outbreak, being too close to China, repeating inaccurate information from Beijing and politicising the crisis by calling US travel bans from China racist.
Trump also criticised what he described as an unfair financial burden on the US, saying it paid far more than other countries, including China, without receiving fair treatment in return.