United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said President Trump’s hold on funding to the World Health Organization should not occur during the global coronavirus pandemic.
Trump announced Tuesday at the White House that the United States would pause payments to the WHO while the administration reviews how the international body handled the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Guterres said the decision was bad timing.
The UN chief said in a Tuesday statement that it is “not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.”
“Now is the time for unity and for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences,” Guterres added.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump said there are “deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible.”
Almost 2 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with more than 125,000 deaths. The outbreak began in Wuhan, China, late last year.
