Photo taken on Jan. 22, 2020 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Liu Qu)
- "Right now it makes no sense to question WHO": Germany
- WHO "an important part" of the global anti-virus fight: Canada
- WHO is "essential" in fighting the pandemic: Italy
BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- More countries worldwide have regretted U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), voicing support for and highlighting the organization's crucial role in guiding global efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump announced Tuesday that his administration is halting the nation's funding to the WHO, which he accused of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus," triggering widespread backlash and criticism across the world.
The Cuban foreign ministry on Thursday said the United States "seeks to disqualify the established leadership" of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as that of the United Nations, which is indispensable during the coronavirus outbreak.
It urged in a statement the international community to bolster cooperation and solidarity in face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There is still time to act and mobilize the will of those who are responsible," the ministry said.
Medical workers transfer bodies of victims who died of COVID-19 at a hospital in New York, the United States, April 6, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday called for more global cooperation to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and voiced support for the World Health Organization (WHO).
Merkel told a video conference of leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) that the crisis can only be tackled with a strong and coordinated international response, according to a statement by the German Federal Government.
The German chancellor expressed her full support for the WHO, as well as numerous other partners, said the statement.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, on the same day, said that the WHO remains "the backbone of international pandemic control."
"Right now it makes no sense to question WHO, its functionality or its importance… To weaken it would be nothing more than throwing the pilot out of the plane while a flight is in progress, and we don't consider that to be responsible," said Maas.
Photo taken on March 12, 2020 shows Young Israel, a synagogue at the center of a one-mile-radius containment area in New Rochelle, New York State, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday joined a call with his fellow G7 leaders. He focused on emphasizing the collective need for a global response against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Canadian Prime Minister's Office.
The Canadian prime minister said that G7 nations also have a responsibility to assist more vulnerable countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is "an important part" of the global fight against the novel coronavirus.
Italian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Marina Sereni on Thursday said the WHO is "essential" in fighting the pandemic and that Italy will continue to back the organization's mission.
"Beyond the need to respond to domestic problems, there is a need to take action beyond national borders," Sereni said. "This pandemic requires a global response … This initiative is focused on strengthening multilateralism, which has seen its institutions weakened in recent decades."
Sereni's comments were echoed by foreign ministers from such participating countries as Canada, France and Germany, which also expressed solidarity with the WHO. Maas called the organization the "backbone of the fight against the pandemic" in a statement.
Health care workers stand outside Brooklyn Hospital Center during the coronavirus pandemic in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, on April 14, 2020.(Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday urged the U.S. government to review its decision to suspend its funding to the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Many counties have asked Trump to review his decision of suspending WHO's funding at a time when the organization is struggling to contain the pandemic of the coronavirus," Qureshi told a news conference in Islamabad.
He said that it is time for cooperation and suspending the assistance to the WHO will only add to the difficulties of the world at this critical time.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had called for a global initiative for debt relief on Sunday and appealed to the global leaders and financial institutions to restructure debt of the developing countries to enable them to effectively handle the situation.
A social distancing sign is seen in McCarren Park during the coronavirus pandemic in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, on April 14, 2020.(Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
The South African government is very concerned and alarmed at the announcement by Trump to suspend funding for the WHO, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said Thursday in a statement.
"It (WHO) is the sole global health agency, with the core focus on universal healthcare. As such, its efforts to coordinate a genuinely global response against this scourge should be recognized and supported," said spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
"We believe that, more than ever before, the WHO deserves increased support from member states in particular to bolster its efforts to suppress transmission and stop the pandemic," Monyela said.
South Africa is hopeful that the U.S. government will reconsider its decision and re-join the international community in fighting this pandemic, he said.
Philippine Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday that the Philippines "stands committed" to the World Health Organization (WHO), lauding the U.N. body's leadership in the global fight to combat COVID-19.
"We support the WHO. As far as the Philippines is concerned we stand committed to the WHO and we will give our contribution when the need arises," Roque said in a virtual briefing.
"I hope that all nations of the world will continue to cooperate with WHO and it's also important to contribute to the fund of the WHO," he added.
Photo taken on April 12, 2020 shows a board reminding people to keep social distancing at the Fisherman's Wharf amid COVID-19 outbreak in San Francisco, the United States. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)
The European Union (EU)'s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Thursday relayed the EU's strong support to the World Health Organization (WHO) in a phone talk with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Borrell "expressed concern about the decision by the United States to suspend its funding to the WHO and committed to work towards mobilizing additional resources."
Borrell reiterated the need to continue working together through the multilateral system to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Nordic ministers for development cooperation jointly expressed their support for the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday.
In a joint social media entry, the ministers underlined the essential work done by the WHO "during these critical times."
A United States Postal Service (USPS) worker wearing a mask delivers mails during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, the United States, April 13, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
The ministers noted that evaluation of the work the WHO has done will come later, and they believed now is the time for "more international cooperation and solidarity, and not less."
Also on Thursday, the UN Association of Finland, a non-governmental organization that promotes and supports the actions and principles of the United Nations, described the U.S. decision as an "incomprehensible action."
Executive Director Helena Laukko said the U.S. move is "cruel play with human lives". "Everyone should understand that as long as the virus has not been totally overcome, everyone remains in danger," Laukko told Finnish national broadcaster Yle. She said that the U.S. freezing of contributions to the WHO could affect vaccination programs, for example.
The Finnish government on Wednesday pledged to increase its funding for the WHO by restoring it to the 2015 level -- 5.5 million euros (6 million U.S. dollars).■
