Coronavirus: US skips WHO meeting but says it will lead on 'global health matters'

The US mission in Geneva said on Friday that although the United States did not participate in a meeting of world leaders on the coronavirus outbreak there was “no doubt about our continuing determination to lead on global health matters”.

World leaders pledged on Friday to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 and to share them around the globe, but the United States did not take part in the video conference launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative.

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The United States has halted funding to the WHO, which President Donald Trump has lambasted as slow and “China-centric”. The United States had been the largest donor.

“The pause in US funding to WHO does not limit or redefine our commitment to strong and effective international engagement,” a spokesperson at the mission said.

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