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UN Secretary General criticizes US for suspension of WHO funding

UN Secretary General António Guterres believes that now is not the time to suspend the payment of contributions to the budget of the World Health Organization (WHO).  He made such a statement amid a decision by US President Donald Trump to suspend funding for the organization in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Now is not the time to reduce the resources for the work of WHO or any other humanitarian organization that fights the virus," Guterres said.  "I am sure that WHO should be supported, it is absolutely imperative that the world wins the war against COVID-19.

"The World Health Organization, thousands of its employees are fighting at the forefront, helping states and their societies, especially the most vulnerable, providing them with recommendations, equipment, training health workers," the UN administrative head added.

He emphasized that it would be necessary to “learn from the pandemic,” but noted that “the time has not yet come for this.”

The American leader said at a White House briefing on Tuesday that he had instructed the administration to suspend contributions to the WHO budget "pending an assessment of the organization’s role in poor governance and the concealment of coronavirus distribution."  Earlier, Trump has repeatedly criticized the actions of WHO.

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