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"I am honored to announce that the United States will remain a member of the World Health Organization," Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday, informing the WHO's executive board that President Joe Biden has reversed former President Donald Trump's move to leave the U.N.'s health agency.

The U.S. will also fulfill its financial obligations to the WHO, Fauci said, as well as cease a drawdown of U.S. staff who work with the organization.

The U.S. relationship with the WHO is "one that we value deeply and will look to strengthen going forward," Fauci said.

Biden to focus on COVID-19 strategy with 10 executive actions

Biden has sent letters to retract Trump's withdrawal to the U.N. secretary-general and to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Fauci said, addressing Tedros as "my dear friend."

, "Thank you my brother Tony for leading the delegation" at the executive board meeting, and for announcing the renewed U.S. support for the WHO. 

Fauci's remarks were a seismic shift from the criticisms leveled at the WHO by Trump, who had threatened to put a permanent hold on U.S. funding for the agency unless it agreed to substantial changes. Many of 

 centered on its handling of COVID-19 and its relationship with China. He also accused Tedros of waiting too long to declare COVID-19 to be a public health emergency.

Fauci did not refer to any of those criticisms directly in his speech to the WHO's virtual meeting. But he did say the U.S. will work with the organization "to strengthen and reform the WHO, citing goals such as improving how the world responds to health emergencies and expanding pandemic preparedness.

An international investigation into the origins of a coronavirus that has now killed 

 in the U.S. and 2 million people worldwide must be "robust and clear," Fauci said.

"We are committed to transparency, including those events surrounding the early days of the pandemic," he said. "It is imperative that we learn and build upon important lessons about how future pandemic events can be averted."

Fauci also said the U.S. will join the international COVAX initiative, which is meant to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and therapies to low-income countries. He added that Biden will issue a directive about that move on Thursday. 

Health

Politics and Government News

COVID-19

Bill Chappell

Author

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded, "Thank you my brother Tony," and thanks also to the U.S. for renewing its support.

U.S. will remain in WHO, Fauci announces, as Biden reverses Trump move

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