US President Donald Trump quits another UN organisation but the decision could be reversed and is not due to take effect until the US pays its outstanding bill to the WHO.
According to Mr Trump, Chinese officials had also ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured it to mislead the public about an outbreak that has now killed more than 130,000 Americans."We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly, but they have refused to act," Mr Trump said.
"Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating the relationship."The withdrawal notification was widely denounced as misguided, certain to undermine an important institution that is leading vaccine development efforts and drug trials to address the COVID-19 outbreak.
In a recent speech at the White House to mark Independence Day celebrations across the US, Mr Trump said 99 per cent of coronavirus cases in the US were "totally harmless" and China must be "held accountable" for the pandemic's spread. "China's secrecy, deceptions and cover-up allowed it to spread all over the world [in] 189 countries and China must be held fully accountable," he said.Mr Trump had halted funding for the 194-member organisation in April, then in a May 18 letter gave the WHO 30 days to commit to reforms.The move could be rescinded under a new government or if circumstances change.
Former vice-president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said he would reverse the decision on his first day in office if elected.Trump quits another UN agencyUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the WHO was "absolutely critical to the world's efforts to win the war against COVID-19".Since taking office, he
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