United States President Donald Trump on Friday said his country would terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization, after...
United States President Donald Trump on Friday said his country would terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization, after weeks of accusing the agency of helping the Chinese government cover up the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, The Guardian reported.
This came after Trump gave the world health body an ultimatum of 30 days to make “substantive improvements” after which, he said he would permanently freeze funding to it. The US is the largest sponsor of the agency. The country had contributed $400 million (approximately Rs 3,040 crore) to the organisation last year – nearly 15% of its entire budget.
“The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government,” Trump said in a speech in the White House Rose Garden. “Countless lives have been taken, and profound economic hardship has been inflicted all around the globe.”
He accused the WHO of refusing to act on the reforms requested by the United States.“We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs,” he said.
Trump also announced that his administration would “begin the process” of ending the American government’s special relationship with Hong Kong, including on trade and law...
