Covid-19: WHO, land of diplomatic war between China and the United States

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The two powers clashed with speeches during the WHO general assembly on Monday. Beijing has reaffirmed its exemplary role in the fight against the coronavirus, while Washington accused it of having lied about the origins of the disease. The assembly could nevertheless lead to an unprecedented resolution to declare future treatment as global public goods.

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The first challenge for the World Health Organization (WHO) at this Geneva meeting was not political but technical. How to organize a general meeting remotely, with 194 member states in videoconference, recalls our correspondent in Geneva, J erémie Lanche . We had a lot of connection problems. But almost everyone was finally able to express themselves.

The full opening remarks by @DrTedros at the virtual # WHA73 👇https: //t.co/GVPDrCM2uu

"  Failure  " WHO has cost "  many lives  "

And among the first, Xi Jinping. The Chinese president has maintained that Beijing has been completely transparent in the crisis. False, replied to him a few moments later the American secretary of health Alex Azar. “  At least one Member State has made fun of its obligation to be transparent and has tried to hide the epidemic. With enormous consequences for the whole world. This should never happen again,  ”he said.

The American secretary also stressed that the "  failure  " of the UN agency in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic had cost "  many lives  ", calling for a WHO "  much more transparent  " and which "  gives more accountability  ".

Trump threatens to end US contribution to WHO indefinitely

If many countries share the skepticism of the United States, few are ready to follow them in their strategy of confrontation with Beijing and with the WHO. Especially since China has joined the calls for a possible vaccine to be declared a global public good. Ie accessible to all. A text on this subject has yet to be debated. He also asked for an assessment of how WHO had handled the crisis. Assessment that can only take place after the end of the pandemic, said the boss of the agency.

►Also listen: WHO, a political history

In a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, which he shared on Twitter after the meeting, Donald Trump said the organization lacked independence from China in the coronavirus crisis. During the meeting, the American president also called the WHO "  puppet of China  "

Donald Trump therefore concludes that the suspension of American funding to the WHO will become final unless the UN agency undertakes, within 30 days, to make major "  improvements  " and that it could also question US membership in WHO.

This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! pic.twitter.com/pF2kzPUpDv

Washington condemns  Taiwan's " exclusion  "

In a statement, the American diplomat also "  condemned  " the exclusion of Taiwan from the annual meeting of the organization, after the member countries decided to postpone the debates on his participation as an observer, demanded by Washington. and fifteen other countries. After enjoying observer status, the island was excluded from WHO in 2016 under Chinese pressure, the Taiwanese president refusing to recognize the principle of the unity of the island and mainland China within from the same country.

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• WHO
• United States
• China
• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine

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