US won’t pay US$60 million owed to WHO after Trump pull-out
- Administration says money for World Health Organisation dues will go instead towards other United Nations contributions
- Move comes day after Washington said it would not join WHO-run coronavirus vaccine project
The Trump administration said on Wednesday it will not pay more than US$60 million in dues it owes to the World Health Organisation and will use the money instead to pay down other contributions to the United Nations.
The announcement came just a day after the White House announced the US would not take part in a WHO-run project to develop and distribute a Covid-19 vaccine.
The decision to withhold roughly US$62 million in outstanding 2020 dues to the WHO is part of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the organisation over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his allegations that the agency has been improperly influenced by China.
Despite proceeding with the withdrawal, administration officials said the US will continue to participate in select WHO meetings and make one-time contributions to specific programmes during a one-year wind-down period. Those programmes include polio eradication projects in Afghanistan and Pakistan, humanitarian relief in Libya and Syria and efforts to combat influenza.
02:00
Trump’s suspension of World Health Organisation funding met with widespread criticism
During the one-year wind-down, the officials said the US would continue to participate in select WHO technical and policy meetings that have a direct bearing on US health, commercial and national security interests.