WHO chief urges US to settle arrears before exit

The United States has not yet paid its outstanding membership dues to the World Health Organisation, the agency’s chief said on Wednesday, April 29, stressing that full payment remains a condition for Washington’s planned withdrawal.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN health body, said he hopes the United States will settle its arrears before completing its exit, noting that this requirement was set by Washington itself.

Speaking at a press briefing hosted by the Association of Correspondents Accredited to the United Nations, Tedros outlined the two conditions governing withdrawal from the organization: a one-year notice period and the full payment of outstanding dues.

On his first day back in office in January 2025, Donald Trump submitted a formal one-year notice initiating the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO.

The United States has historically been the organization’s largest contributor. However, Tedros said there have been “no signals” indicating that Washington intends to clear its dues.

He emphasized that the issue goes beyond financial considerations. “To be honest, it’s not about the money,” he said. “The issue is health security needs universality, and the United States, by withdrawing, makes itself unsafe and makes the rest of the world unsafe. So it’s lose-lose.”

“So our focus is not on the money. The focus is on helping the United States to understand and reconsider,” he added.

By Tamilla Hasanova