Buenos Aires (AP) – The President of Argentina ordered the withdrawal of the country of the World Health Organization due to “deep differences” with the United Nations agency, a presidential spokesman said on Wednesday.
President Javier Milei The decision of his ally echoes that of his ally, US President Donald Trumpwhich started the process of withdrawing the United States from which with a decree on the first day of return on January 21.
The loss of another member country World health fractures cooperationAlthough Argentina should only provide $ 8 million for Who for the agency Estimated budget of $ 6.9 billion 2024-2025.
Argentina’s decision is based on “deep differences in health management, especially during the pandemic (COVID-19),” said spokesman Manuel Adorni to a press conference in Buenos Aires. He said that the directives of the time led to the greatest closure “in the history of humanity”.
Argentina will not allow an international organization to intervene in its sovereignty “and much less in our health,” he added.
Who does not have the power to force countries to take specific health measures, and the organization’s directives and recommendations, including in health attacks like COVID-19, are often ignored.
Who said he was examining Argentina’s announcement.
Adorni did not say when Milei’s decision would be implemented. He also claimed that which lacks independence due to the political influence of certain countries, without naming.
Who is the only organization mandated to coordinate global responses to acute health crises, in particular epidemics of new diseases and persistent threats, including Ebola, AIDS and MPOX.
Milei was a criticism of locking imposed by former president Alberto Fernandez during the pandemic, saying that this harms the economy and that the government used it as a “repression” mechanism.
“Live Lived” ” Milei said on Wednesday in an article on X criticizing the United Nations Agency.
Argentina does not receive the financing of the WHO for the management of health and the decision of the president does not affect the quality of the health services, said Adorni.
“On the contrary, it gives greater flexibility to implement policies adopted in the context of the interests that Argentina needs,” he added.
Last year, the Milei government refused to sign an agreement to manage pandemics within the framework of the WHO, on the grounds that this could affect national sovereignty.
The WHO announcement comes before Milei’s trip to the United States later this month which will coincide with the conservative summit of the right-wing political action conference in Washington. The spokesperson has not confirmed that Milei will assist or that he could meet Trump.
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The writer of the associated press Maria Cheng in London contributed.