GENEVA: World Health Organization member states gather for their annual meeting in Geneva Monday amid concern over deadly hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals.<\/p>\n
While the rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, as is the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p>\n
A diplomatic source, who asked not to be identified, said it would be interesting to see how such outbreaks are used by WHO \u201cto promote other things,\u201d including \u201cto pressure (the United States and Argentina) not to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
The meeting of the WHO\u2019s annual decision-making assembly, which runs through Saturday, comes after a difficult year for the organization. It has been weakened by the announced US withdrawal and by funding cuts that have forced it to slash its budget and staff numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are stable now and moving forward,\u201d WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted at the end of April.<\/p>\n
Diplomats and observers agreed.<\/p>\n
The situation is \u201cstill fragile, but they\u2019ve been successful in mobilizing most of the funds\u201d required for the next two years, Surie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Center at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told AFP.<\/p>\n
And the hantavirus crisis provided \u201ca clear illustration of why the world needs an effective, trusted, impartial, reliably-funded WHO,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
UN, Argentina withdrawals<\/p>\n
But significant divisions persist.<\/p>\n
Continued disagreement between wealthy and developing nations has for instance blocked progress on the key missing piece of the WHO\u2019s landmark 2025 pandemic treaty, with negotiations now expected to be extended for another year.<\/p>\n
It also remains unclear what, if anything, would be decided on the US and Argentinian announced withdrawals.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump, on his first day back in office in January 2025, handed the WHO his country\u2019s one-year withdrawal notice, with Argentina soon following suit.<\/p>\n
The WHO, whose constitution does not include a withdrawal clause, has not confirmed either withdrawal.<\/p>\n
The United States reserved the right to withdraw when it joined the WHO in 1948 \u2014 on condition of giving one year\u2019s notice and meeting its financial obligations in full for that fiscal year.<\/p>\n
While the notice period has expired, Washington has still not paid its 2024 or 2025 dues, owing around $260 million.<\/p>\n
When WHO\u2019s executive board met in January, Israel submitted a resolution to approve Argentina\u2019s withdrawal \u2014 something countries are expected to discuss during the assembly \u2014 but not a word was said about the US leaving.<\/p>\n
Diplomats and observers indicated there was broad agreement that it would be better to maintain a grey zone around whether the US was effectively out.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that it will go past quietly on the US,\u201d a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
Election campaign<\/p>\n
The assembly will take place as the process toward next year\u2019s election of a new WHO chief heats up.<\/p>\n
No one has yet declared their candidacy, but announcements are possible this week ahead of the nomination deadline of September 24.<\/p>\n
A number of sensitive resolutions are also on the table, including on Ukraine, the Palestinian territories and Iran, which could spark heated debate.<\/p>\n
Much of this week\u2019s discussions will center on whether to launch a formal reform process for the so-called \u201cglobal health architecture\u201d \u2014 a mishmash of organizations that do not always work together and often overlap.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmong the issues to be explored are what is best done at the global and regional levels… and what is a national responsibility?\u201d Helen Clark, co-chair of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response and a former New Zealand prime minister, told AFP.<\/p>\n
Canadian Health Minister Marjorie Michel told AFP that \u201cthis current crisis, with the departure of key players, also allows \u2026 the WHO to re-examine its strategy with its members.\u201d<\/p>\n
A key focus will be to ensure the process does not see \u201ccontroversial\u201d issues, such as climate and sexual and reproductive health rights, sacrificed in the context of dwindling international aid funding.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe objective is to ensure better coordination among health actors, so that no activities or populations are left behind,\u201d said a diplomatic source, who asked not to be named.<\/p>\n
But Thiru Balasubramaniam of the Knowledge Ecology International NGO, told AFP the WHO had already \u201cscaled down some of their activities, including in terms of sexual and reproductive health.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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