African leaders have rallied around the Ethiopian head of the World Health Organization (WHO) after US President Donald Trump criticised the United Nations agency and threatened to withhold his country’s contribution to its budget.
Trump had on Tuesday accused the WHO of being too focused on China and of issuing bad advice on the COVID-19 pandemic.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chairs the African Union (AU), said in a statement that WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had shown “exceptional leadership … from the very earliest stages of this unprecedented global health crisis.”
“The AU calls upon the international community to join hands to support the efforts of the DG and the entire WHO family as they lead global efforts to fight this pandemic,” Ramaphosa added.
“If there was a time for global unity, solidarity and cooperation, this is that time.”
Posting on Twitter, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame said the
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