Europe reacts with dismay after Trump pulls US out of WHO

Europe has reacted with shock and incredulity after President Donald Trump severed the United States' ties with the World Health Organization.

The BBC quoted an unnamed British government spokesperson as saying: "Coronavirus is a global challenge and the World Health Organization has an important role to play in leading the international health response."

The spokesperson said London would not follow Washington's lead and added: "We have no plans to withdraw our funding."

The European Union called on Trump to think again, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen releasing a statement in which she said: "In the face of this global threat, now is the time for enhanced cooperation and common solutions. Actions that weaken international results must be avoided."

Last month, Trump suspended US payments to the WHO after saying the United Nations agency that helps countries promote healthcare and tackle disease should have criticized China for its handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday, during a speech in the White House Rose Garden, Trump announced that suspension of payments would be replaced with a permanent block.

Last year, the nation contributed more than $450 million in membership fees and voluntary contributions, which was around 15 percent of the organization's budget.

Trump has regularly accused the WHO of being "controlled" by China, and has urged it to criticize Beijing for its handling of the outbreak. The WHO has consistently said China has done nothing wrong in the way it has responded to the virus that causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease.Germany's health minister said on the weekend that Trump's actions were a "disappointing setback for international health". Jens Spahn added that European nations may now decide to assume more responsibility globally.

"The EU must take a leading role and engage more financially," he said.

While nations have said now is definitely not the time for a member nation to leave the WHO, some have called for a review of the WHO's roles and responsibilities and, early last month, the World Health Assembly said it would like to see a thorough review of the WHO's response to the pandemic.

But Trump's withdrawal is likely to leave the US with less of a voice than it had before and fewer opportunities to shape the future of the WHO.

Amanda Glassman, executive vice-president of the Washington-based think tank the Centre for Global Development, told the Guardian newspaper the US will lose influence over global health research and policymaking as a result.

"We have very deep and long relationships with the WHO as the space where we coordinate global health policy," Glassman said. "I think it's totally inefficient to do it in a bilateral manner."