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US return to World Health Organization has little to do with pandemic, says expert

On his first day as US president, Joseph Biden signed an executive order reversing Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization

MOSCOW, January 21. /TASS/. The United States’ return to the World Health Organization (WHO) is a political step aimed at boosting Washington’s global influence, Valdai Discussion Club Research Director Fyodor Lukyanov told TASS on Thursday.

"The US return to the WHO has little to do with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a purely political move related to US global influence. The WHO is not an international emergency agency focused on combating the pandemic. It is an advisory and expert body but much depends on it and its recommendations are important," Lukyanov pointed out.

According to the experts, the US Democratic Party stands for the liberal world order and considers international institutions to be crucial for promoting Washington’s interests on the international stage. "Consequently, it's critically important for them [Democrats] to maintain membership in these institutions. Many believe that the WHO came under Chinese influence, which is actually what Trump said. Biden and his team believe that instead of leaving the organization, they need to address the issue by changing the organization from within and make it reflect US interests," Lukyanov emphasized.

On his first day as US president, Joseph Biden signed an executive order reversing Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.