Joe Biden at the White House: the United States announces its return to the WHO
Less than 24 hours after his inauguration, the new US president Joe Biden brought in immunologist Anthony Fauci at a meeting of the WHO executive board.
Good news for global health and for the WHO, launched the boss of the agency, Tedros Ghebreyesus.
© DR
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
America is back: it is in any case true, at the WHO.
Washington has officially announced that it is reversing Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
To the great relief of the agency, which found its first financial support.
But that doesn't mean that everything is settled.
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Less than 24 hours after his inauguration, the new US President Joe Biden immediately marked his difference from his predecessor, who has always minimized the Covid-19 pandemic and denied the World Health Organization by calling it a "
puppet
At the hands of China, bringing in immunologist
Anthony Fauci
at a meeting of the WHO executive board.
This is good news for global health and for the WHO, launched the boss of the agency, Tedros Ghebreyesus.
Indeed, the United States weighs more than 20% of the budget of the WHO, specifies our correspondent in Geneva,
Jeremy Lanche
.
We are a far cry from the criticisms of the Trump era, when Washington vilified the organization for its management of the pandemic.
“
WHO is a family of nations and we are all happy that the United States remains in the family.
We are a family
”, added the head of the WHO.
The role of Doctor Fauci
The man who symbolizes this change of tone is Doctor Anthony Fauci who was already a member of President Trump's crisis staff and was appointed advisor by Joe Biden.
He announced that the United States "
intends to meet its financial obligations to the organization
."
“
In trying circumstances, this organization has rallied the entire scientific community to accelerate the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics.
It has distributed equipment by the millions in dozens of countries and has fought relentlessly alongside States in their fight against Covid-19,
”said the immunologist.
Dr Fauci assures us that the United States is ready to work in partnership and in solidarity to support the international response to Covid-19 but also "to
mitigate its impact in the world, strengthen our institutions, advance preparation for future epidemics, and improve the health and well-being of all the peoples of the world
”.
He also announced that President Biden is due to issue a directive later today in which he will announce the United States' intention to join the
Covax device
, set up by the WHO to distribute vaccines. anti-Covid in disadvantaged countries.
A major decision for Africa
For Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Africa Director who sat on the WHO Board of Directors, this is important news: “
First, the United States is the biggest donor to WHO, and the impact on the funding of the organization and our work had been significant when their retirement was announced.
And secondly, it is important, because this Member State, which has great capacities in terms of health and several institutions, was working multilaterally with the WHO and others.
"
For Africa, it is therefore major, explains Dr. Moeti, joined by Jeanne Richard of the Africa department of RFI, because the United States is one of the largest development program partners in the health sector on the continent: “
If we work with them that will further facilitate this bilateral aid
”.
The WHO Africa Director also recalls that the fact that they are joining the Covax initiative, this partnership to help poor countries access the vaccine, shows that a rich country can adhere to a principle of equity and solidarity. and contribute, including financially, to help other countries gain access to these tools.
The desire to reform the organization
We can therefore speak of a peaceful relationship, but not yet a honeymoon between the United States and the WHO.
In his speech to the WHO executive committee, Dr Fauci reaffirmed Washington's desire to reform the organization, sometimes accused of being too complacent towards Beijing.
The United States is also calling for all light to be shed on the origins of the virus.
A mission to which the WHO experts dispatched to Wuhan are working.
►
To read: China: the WHO team arrived in Wuhan to investigate the Covid-19
(With
AFP
)
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Joe Biden marks break with Donald Trump as soon as he arrives at the White House