United States of America has said that it would be diverting $80 million subscription meant for World Health Organisation (WHO), to United Nations (UN), so as to show its disassociation from the organisation.
As reported, the diverted fund was US annual financial obligation to support the objectives and programmes of the organisation but would be used to pay the country United Nations bill in New York.
It would be recalled that President Donald Trump had during peak of corona virus announced US plans to leave WHO, after allegations of it being controlled by China and that vital information about the virus were covered up.
The Deputy Assistant, State Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Nerissa Cook, explained that the decisions of US was reached after much deliberation by the president and other stakeholders.
Speaking during a briefing on US plan for WHO on Thursday, in New York, Cook said that the $80 million planned to be diverted was an accrued fund which the country currently owes WHO, with $18 million and $62 million for 2019 and 2020 financial year respectively.
She stated that the fund would be used to reprogramme for UN projects and settle other bills for the body, an indication that US is not likely to go back on its disclosed plan.
“Those together are being reprogrammed to the U.N. to pay the regular U.N. assessment”, Cook confirmed.
Meanwhile, WHO, through a mail, said that it would wait for further details on the planned diversions of funds by US, just as it expressed regret on with-drawer of membership by the American government.
The Assistant administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development, Alma Golden, said that, new partners have been identified by the country to replace WHO in its global health outreach and that payment of ….. would be made to the body for health and other related assistance.
“A one-time payment of $68 million would be made to the WHO for health assistance where WHO has the unique capability that an alternate partner could not replicate at this time”.Golden added that
With US elections due for November, former Vice President, Joe Biden, has reiterated his desire to return the country to WHO if elected as president in the polls.
