France and Germany pledged their political and financial backing for the World Health Organization (WHO) in its fight against the coronavirus on Thursday. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency, criticized by the US for its response to the pandemic, was getting the support it needed.
“We are getting today all the support we need, politically and financially. Both Germany and France are long-standing friends of WHO and global health,” Tedros told reporters at the WHO headquarters in Geneva.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has announced additional contributions of funds and medical equipment to WHO, bringing Germany’s total support to $561 million this year, the “highest amount ever,” as it assumes the EU presidency.
President Donald Trump said last month that the US was cutting ties with the “China-centric” WHO, but he has still not formally notified the UN agency, according to Reuters. The US was previously the biggest overall donor to the WHO, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, roughly 15 percent of its budget.