(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) The EU expressed its strong support for WHO's commitment to mobilize more resources
China News Agency, Brussels, April 16 (Reporter De Yongjian) After US President Trump halted appropriations for WHO, the European Union ’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Borelli, and WHO Director-General Tan on the 16th Desai said by phone that the EU strongly supported WHO at this critical moment and reiterated the need to continue to fight the new coronary pneumonia epidemic through the multilateral system.
According to the announcement issued by the European Union ’s External Action Agency on the same day, Borelli and Tan Desai discussed the current situation and the important work WHO has done to contain the epidemic on the phone. Both parties agreed that the world needs to jointly invest in prevention and control measures. To cope with the new coronary pneumonia pandemic and the possible outbreak in the future.
The announcement stated that Borelli expressed concern about the suspension of US funding to WHO, promising that the EU will work to mobilize more resources, and that WHO should carefully address existing deficiencies and make every effort to improve.
After Trump announced on April 14 to suspend appropriations for WHO, Borelli once spoke on his social media account, expressing deep regret at the US decision and stressing that WHO is now needed more than ever to fight back The New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic has no justifiable reasons for the US move; the crisis caused by the epidemic does not know any borders, and only through unity can we overcome the difficulties.
On the 15th, Tan Desai said at a regular press conference held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva that WHO regretted the decision of the US government to stop granting funds to WHO, and is now assessing the impact of the US moratorium on WHO's work In the future, we will work with partners to make up for the shortfall in funding and ensure that WHO ’s work is not interrupted.
After the outbreak of the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic in January this year, WHO has launched two fundraising plans, one is the "strategic preparation and response plan" launched in February, and has so far donated or pledged more than 800 million US dollars, the other is The "Unity Response Fund" launched in March has so far received nearly 150 million US dollars; the EU External Action Agency announced on the 16th that in response to the WHO's call, the EU has now committed to donate 114 million US dollars. (Finish)