17 April 2020 12:00 am
By Yohan Perera
UNP leader and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a letter addressed to U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern on his decision to withdraw funds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and requested him to rescind the decision.
Mr Wickremesinghe wrote, “I learn with great concern of the allegations levelled against the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the USA which is serious and no doubt be investigated.
However, you will agree with me that global COVID-19 pandemic has a disastrous impact on local economies and crippled civilian life in all countries in ways that are unprecedented and perhaps even ambiguous at present. Consequently, it is vital that WHO continues its programmes at this juncture given the lack of any other multilateral institution to provide global leadership to international safety issues in the coming months.
I understand that American taxpayers provide US dollars 400-500 million in funding to the WHO.