US Withdrawal from WHO Will Make the World Unsafe: Director-General Tedros

Geneva. As the United States of America prepares to formally withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) in January, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday that this move will make both the country and the world “unsafe.”

On his first day back at the White House on January 20 of last year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the country from the WHO. The United Nations received the formal notification two days later.

According to the organization’s constitution, the withdrawal takes effect one year after the notification is given.

“This is not really the right decision,” said Tedros, expressing hope that the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin the WHO.

He added that much of the work done by the WHO is beneficial to the United States, and “that’s why I said the US cannot be safe without working with WHO.”

The WHO chief also stated that the organization is gradually addressing its funding management issues through budget adjustments and structural reforms.