The main epidemiologist of the United States Government, Anthony Fauci, announced this Thursday that the new president of the country, Joe Biden, will sign in the next few hours an order for the inclusion of the country in the project of the World Health Organization (WHO ) to distribute coronavirus vaccines globally.
“President Biden will issue a directive today with the intention of the United States to join COVAX (…) to support multilateral efforts for vaccines against the coronavirus,” he said, in a participation by videoconference before the international organization.
“I am honored to announce that the United States will continue to be a member of the WHO,” said Fauci, who also stressed that “the United States will put an end to the withdrawal of its personnel from within the WHO and will restart normal contacts with the organization.” and that the country “also intends to meet its financial obligations to the organization.”
Thus, he highlighted that “Biden signed yesterday the letters retracting the announcement of the previous Administration on his withdrawal from the organization, which have already been sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations (António Guterres) and to you, Tedros (Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director WHO General) “, whom he has described as a” dear friend “.
Fauci also emphasized that the North American country “plans to work multilaterally to respond to and recover from the pandemic” and “will seek technical collaboration at all levels.”
“The United States will work constructively to strengthen and reform the WHO, to assist in collective efforts to strengthen the international response to COVID-19,” said Fauci, who also applauded the “heroic work” of health workers.
“A year ago, this same day, the United States confirmed its first case of coronavirus, in the state of Washington. To date, in our country and throughout the world, there have been more than 90 million cases, a devastating number that continues to increase, “he said.
On the other hand, he has dedicated part of his appearance to applaud the work of the WHO, the object of numerous criticisms by former President Donald Trump, and has valued that the organization “has worked tirelessly with the countries in their fight against COVID- 19 “.
“In difficult times, this organization has brought together the scientific, research and development communities to accelerate vaccines, therapies and diagnostics,” Fauci concluded.
A few hours after taking office, Biden signed a battery of executive orders, many of them disregarding the policies adopted by Trup, especially in environmental matters and international multilateralism.
In response, Guterres welcomed the return of the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement and to the WHO, and was “committed to working closely” with Biden both to address the climate crisis and to recover from the climate. coronavirus pandemic.
