Mike Pompeo threatens to never restore WHO funds, hints at alternative body

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that Washington may never restore the funding of World Health Organisation (WHO) and could even set up an alternative to the UN agency that will deliver on the intended purposes. Pompeo’s comment came when Democrats of the House of Representative called for the immediate restoration of WHO funding which the US President Donald Trump halted last week.

Trump had accused the UN health agency of being “China-centric” and in cahoots with Beijing on covering up mishandling of the virus outbreak. However, the House Democrats have blamed the US President of using the WHO as a “scapegoat” to distract the nation from his own handling of the pandemic.

In a radio interview on April 23, Pompeo hinted at “reform” questioning the ability of the WHO to perform its primary function. The top diplomat said that the leaders of the United States have an obligation to make sure that the taxpayers’ money is spent with institutions and on projects that actually deliver the outcomes that they are intended to deliver.

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'Need to review'

When asked about whether the administration is looking to move on to a new paradigm, the State Secretary said that there is a need to review whether the current structure of the WHO fit for purpose. Pompeo said that when the institution is failing to get the desired outcomes, the US is going to work with partners around the world to deliver a structure that will actually deliver on the intended purposes.

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The WHO has been under fire over its handling of the coronavirus and accusations have been levelled on it for being “China-centric”. However, the health agency has continuously insisted that it sounded the alarm on the novel coronavirus right from the very start and had hidden nothing about the deadly virus.

During a press briefing, the WHO chief had defended the UN agency saying there is no secret in WHO because keeping things confidential or secret is dangerous. “This virus is dangerous. It exploits cracks between us when we have differences,” he added.

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(Image credit: AP)