Tag Archives: withdrawal

US withdrawal from WHO ‘risks global safety’, agency says in detailed rebuttal

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WHO Rejects US Criticism, Defends Pandemic Response And Calls For Continued Cooperation

The World Health Organization has strongly rejected criticism from the United States administration, defending its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirming its commitment to global cooperation on public health.

In a statement released on Saturday, the UN health agency responded to accusations from the US government that it had compromised its independence and pursued policies hostile to American interests. The organization said such claims were unfounded and reiterated that it has consistently worked with member states in good faith.

The agency also expressed hope that the United States would remain engaged in global health efforts despite recent tensions.

WHO Rejects Allegations Of Bias

Responding to accusations that it had “trashed and tarnished” the United States, the WHO said the opposite was true.

According to the statement, the organization has always sought to maintain constructive engagement with the US government while respecting its sovereignty.

It also rejected claims that the agency had followed a politicized agenda influenced by countries hostile to US interests.

“The World Health Organization has always been and remains impartial,” the statement said, adding that the organization exists to serve all countries equally and without political bias.

Defence Of COVID-19 Pandemic Response

A large portion of the statement focused on defending the WHO’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US administration had accused the organization of obstructing the timely sharing of information and concealing failures in its response to the outbreak.

The WHO said those allegations were incorrect, arguing that it shared available information rapidly and transparently throughout the crisis while providing guidance based on the best scientific evidence at the time.

The agency clarified that while it recommended protective measures such as mask use, vaccination and physical distancing, it did not mandate lockdowns or vaccine requirements.

Early Warnings Issued In Initial Stages

According to the WHO, it began monitoring the emerging outbreak immediately after receiving reports of a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown cause in Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019.

The organization said it quickly contacted Chinese authorities for additional information and activated its emergency incident management system.

By the time the first death linked to the virus was reported on 11 January 2020, the WHO said it had already alerted the international community through formal channels, public statements and social media.

It also convened global health experts and issued guidance to help governments prepare their healthcare systems and protect their populations.

When the WHO Director-General declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, fewer than 100 cases had been recorded outside China and no deaths had been reported beyond the country.

During the early months of the crisis, the Director-General repeatedly warned countries that urgent action was needed to contain the virus, cautioning that the “window of opportunity is closing.”

Steps Taken To Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness

The WHO noted that several independent reviews have examined the global response to the pandemic, including assessments of the organization’s own performance.

Following these evaluations, the agency said it has introduced reforms to strengthen its ability to respond to future health emergencies.

These efforts include initiatives to improve international coordination, strengthen surveillance systems and support countries in building stronger public health infrastructure.

According to the WHO, the global systems it developed before, during and after the pandemic have helped improve preparedness worldwide.

Agency Leaves Door Open For US Engagement

Despite the current dispute, the WHO emphasised that it remains committed to working with all countries, including the United States.

The organization highlighted the recent adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which it described as a major international legal framework aimed at preventing and responding to future global health emergencies.

The agency also acknowledged the significant role the United States has historically played in advancing global public health.

As a founding member of the WHO, the US has contributed to several major achievements, including the eradication of smallpox and progress in combating diseases such as polio, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and Ebola.

“WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission,” the statement concluded, reaffirming its goal of ensuring the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for people worldwide.

What US withdrawal from UN bodies could mean?

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When UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric briefed correspondents in New York on Thursday following the release of the White House Memorandum, he insisted that the Organization will continue to carry out its mandates from Member States “with determination.”

Wednesday’s memorandum states that the US administration is “ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law.”

Several of the bodies listed in the memo are funded principally or partially by the regular UN budget, implying that voluntary funding will be impacted, although central funding will continue.

However, the White House notes that its funding review of international organisations “remains ongoing,” and it is currently unclear what the impact of the announcement will be.

Here’s a breakdown of the 31 UN entities mentioned in the memorandum, and how they are making a positive difference to people, communities and nations, worldwide.

Development

  • UN Human Settlement Programme (UN Habitat): Promotes sustainable towns and cities and provides technical and policy advice for the improvement of living conditions and the reduction of urban poverty

Education and training

  • UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): Provides training and capacity-building for individuals, organisations, and countries (especially developing nations) on areas like diplomacy, sustainable development, climate change and crisis management
  • UN System Staff College: Equips UN personnel with learning, training and advisory services to ensure a capable, adaptable and collaborative UN workforce
  • UN University: The UN’s global think tank and postgraduate teaching organisation conducts research and provides policy advice on pressing global issues
  • Education Cannot Wait: The UN global fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises, to ensure that children and youth affected by conflict, displacement, and disasters have access to safe, quality education

Gender

Health

  • UN Population Fund (UNFPA): Promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, promotes gender equality and collates population data for development, helping to reduce maternal mortality and expand access to family planning

International Law

  • International Law Commission: Mandates the development and codification of international law by drafting legal instruments and clarifying principles; fostering the rule of law, and supporting peaceful relations among states
  • International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals: Carries out essential functions of the former International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, completing ongoing cases, protecting witnesses and preserving archives, ensuring accountability for serious international crimes

UN laments US withdrawal from educational and cultural agency

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The United States is once again set to leave the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a move that has drawn strong expressions of regret from senior UN officials and revived a long-running dispute between Washington and the Paris-based cultural body.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said she “deeply regrets” the decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the organisation, warning that the step runs counter to the spirit of international cooperation.

“I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO,” Azoulay said in a statement, adding that the decision contradicts “the fundamental principles of multilateralism.”

At the United Nations headquarters in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres shares that view. “The Secretary-General joins Ms. Azoulay in deeply regretting the decision by the United States,” Dujarric told reporters.

A long history of US exits

The US relationship with UNESCO has been turbulent for decades. Washington first withdrew from the agency in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, citing concerns about management and ideological bias.

After remaining outside the organisation for nearly 20 years, the US rejoined in 2003. However, during Trump’s first presidency the country again exited the agency in 2017, accusing it of anti-Israel bias and institutional problems.

The decision was reversed in 2023 when President Joe Biden restored US membership and resumed financial contributions to the agency.

Dispute over policies and Palestine

A statement from the White House said the latest withdrawal was intended to protect American interests from what it described as UNESCO’s promotion of “divisive social and cultural causes.”

It also criticised the organisation’s alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, describing them as a “globalist ideological agenda” incompatible with Washington’s “America First” foreign policy.

The statement further pointed to UNESCO’s decision to admit the State of Palestine as a member state, a step that US officials say runs counter to American policy and encourages anti-Israel rhetoric within the UN system.

Azoulay rejected accusations that the organisation is hostile to Israel. She pointed to UNESCO’s work in Holocaust education and efforts to combat antisemitism, noting that these initiatives have been widely supported by international partners, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

UNESCO says it prepared for the move

Azoulay said the agency had anticipated the possibility of another US withdrawal and had already adjusted its financial structure.

Although the United States currently accounts for around eight percent of UNESCO’s budget, she said funding from other member states and private partners has expanded significantly in recent years. Donations from private contributors, she noted, have doubled since 2018.

“The organisation is now better protected financially,” Azoulay said, adding that UNESCO will continue collaborating with American universities, private institutions and non-profit groups.

She stressed that the agency remains open to future engagement with Washington. “UNESCO’s purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, and the United States of America is and will always be welcome,” she said.

Ukraine Defeat: Putin sacks top general after appointing him 16 days ago

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have sacked Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov, a top-ranking general just 16 days after appointing him following his crushing defeat in eastern Ukraine, media reports said.

The Russian President is thought to have relieved Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov of his duties over the failure of Kremlin troops to keep hold of vast swathes of Ukrainian territory over the last few days, Daily Mail reported.

A counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces has seen troops push to within 30 miles of the border, amid reports that ‘panicked’ Russian troops have been abandoning tanks, weapons and supplies.

There have been claims from some sources that Russian soldiers have “literally ran from their positions”, even leaving behind their clothes as they ran away from the advancing Ukrainian army in the Kharkiv oblast in the north-east of the country, Daily Mail reported.

It came as Ukrainian soldiers surge into the east of the country in an effort that has seen them take more than 1,000 square miles of territory in a matter of days, in a period of time that could prove to be a turning point in the war.

The move came after a sustained Ukrainian’s disinformation campaign’ about a counter-offensive in the south, which succeeded in diverting Russian troops in that direction and leaving the north east vulnerable to attack, Daily Mail reported.

The main advance in the area began six days ago and has forced Moscow to withdraw its troops to prevent them being surrounded. Kremlin troops were reportedly running away without even attempting to fight back.

Appointed 16 days ago

According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lt General Berdnikov was appointed as commander of the Western Armed Forces on August 26.

However, it seems his time in charge was short lived, with Ukrainian intelligence saying he has been sacked by Putin due to the rout in Kharkiv.  This came after unconfirmed reports back in June that he had been killed during fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

As Russian troops desperately scrambled to get clear from oncoming forces in recent days, one Ukrainian unit said the chain of command had been broken and Kremlin troops were running away without even attempting to fight back, Daily Mail reported. (IANS)

World Court ICJ orders Russia to stop war immediately; Is it binding?

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The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest judicial body in the world, on Wednesday ordered Russia to suspend its military operations in Ukraine, though its orders are not mandatory for defying member nations.

In a vote of 13-2, the decision was to ask the Russian Federation to quickly suspend military operations it started on February 24. “The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022 in the territory of Ukraine,” the judges said as quoted by Reuters.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the outcome at the world court and said, “Ukraine gained a complete victory in its case against Russia at the ICJ. The ICJ ordered to immediately stop the invasion. The order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further”.

On 26 February, Ukraine filed an application against Russia concerning “a dispute” on the interpretation, application and fulfilment of the Genocide Convention. Ukraine contended that having falsely claimed acts of genocide against the people of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, Russia declared and implemented a “special military operation” to prevent and punish the purported acts.

The ICJ asked Russia to immediately suspend its attacks and cease all military operations as they were based on Moscow’s stated purpose of preventing or punishing Ukraine for committing genocide.

The Court also noted that Russia had decided not to participate in oral proceedings and later, presented a document setting out its position that in this case, the Court lacks jurisdiction and requested it to “refrain from indicating provisional measures and to remove the case from its list.”

Meeting conditions

In delivering the ruling, President of the Court Joan Donoghue of the United States, outlined that the necessary conditions were met to give the ICJ the authority to indicate provisional measures, namely that the rights asserted by Ukraine are plausible and the condition of urgency was met in that acts causing irreparable prejudice can “occur at any moment.”

“Indeed, any military operation, in particular one on the scale carried out by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, inevitably causes loss of life, mental and bodily harm, and damage to property and to the environment,” said the ICJ President.

On behalf of the world court, she continued, “the civilian population affected by the present conflict is extremely vulnerable,” adding that Russia’s aggression has resulted in “numerous civilian deaths and injuries…significant material damage, including the destruction of buildings and infrastructure”.

“Attacks are ongoing and are creating increasingly difficult living conditions for the civilian population. Many persons have no access to the most basic foodstuffs, potable water, electricity, essential medicines or heating. A very large number of people are attempting to flee from the most affected cities under extremely insecure conditions,” she explained.

The judges were unanimous in their order that both parties refrain from any action that might “aggravate or extend the dispute…or make it more difficult to resolve.”