America is officially out of WHO. The Trump administration had accused the organization of being pro-China. America has completed 1 year’s notice, but has not paid the dues of Rs 2,300 crore.
New Delhi: America has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO). The US Health Department has officially confirmed this. With this, an old goal of President Donald Trump has been accomplished. Trump had announced his exit from WHO in his first term itself and implemented it at the beginning of his second term.
But, WHO has a rule. To go out of any country, one has to complete a notice period of at least 1 year and pay the outstanding amount. Under this, Trump had issued this order in January last year and this year he left WHO. America has not paid Rs 2,300 crore to the organization, and now this money will go into bad account. It is being said that there is no possibility of America paying this money. At the same time, WHO also has no means to recover this money from America.
What is the reason for America being out?
Trump had said that WHO’s policies at the time of Covid were in favor of China. He also delayed declaring it an epidemic. He also said that the policy of the entire organization is against America. Trump had also expressed displeasure that despite being America’s biggest partner, till date no American citizen has become the Director General of the organization.
“Legally, it is very clear that the United States cannot officially withdraw from the WHO until it has paid off its outstanding financial obligations,” said Dr. Lawrence Gostin, a global health law and public health expert at Georgetown University. He also said, “But WHO has no authority to force the US to pay.”
Gostin said the WHO could pass a resolution saying the U.S. can’t pull out without paying, but with Trump likely to back down anyway, that would risk escalating tensions.
On Thursday, HHS said all US government funding to WHO had been terminated and all staff and contractors deployed to the organization had been recalled. It said the US has ceased official participation in WHO-sponsored committees, leadership bodies, administrative structures and technical working groups. The Trump administration has said that despite withdrawing from the WHO, the US will remain a global health leader.
This decision is not limited only to the World Health Organization, but America is also preparing to exit from about 66 other international organizations of which it is a member. It also includes the India-led International Solar Alliance.