Statement on Initiation of U.S. Withdrawal from the World Health Organization

In response to recent U.S. announcements, United Nations Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Cousens issued the following statement:

“U.S. leadership has been a bulwark of international peace and prosperity since 1945 and indispensable to some of the greatest achievements of our lifetimes — from maintaining the nuclear peace, eradicating disease, and lifting over 1 billion people from poverty, to creating conditions for pathbreaking scientific and technological innovations. The health, safety, and security of Americans has benefited from this leadership, anchored in unwavering, bipartisan U.S. commitment to an international system that can secure the rights and interests of all people and nations through the rule of law and shared values. Strong U.S. partnership with the United Nations has been a keystone of this system.

“Our turbulent world needs American leadership now more than ever. Actions that weaken U.S. influence on the global stage or diminish U.S. voice in leading international institutions and fora jeopardize generations of progress and will only cede ground to others.

On U.S. Withdrawal from the World Health Organization:

“Since the U.S. helped establish the World Health Organization nearly eight decades ago, WHO has proved a vital contributor to global stability, security, and prosperity — preventing the spread of infectious disease, coordinating response to health emergencies, and standing up global health initiatives that have saved millions of lives. For less than the annual budget of some U.S. state health departments, WHO has led efforts to eradicate smallpox, eliminate malaria in numerous countries, immunize millions across the world from measles, polio, and other communicable diseases, and reduce child mortality, among many other accomplishments. The U.S. also enjoys an outsized voice in WHO — with more Americans than any other nationality in leadership positions, and more UN procurement dollars flowing to the U.S. for medical products than to any other country. This critical work that impacts ordinary Americans creates an opportunity for the U.S. to use the coming months to engage WHO on precisely the issues that matter most to the health of Americans everywhere, and exercise leadership that will benefit Americans and the world.

“Everyday Americans, like citizens of any country, should always get a strong and convincing argument for why their government’s foreign policy serves their interests and values. Active U.S. investment in international institutions, like the UN, is in the interest of every American because it gives American values and influence unparalleled reach and is a surefire way to strengthen relationships with friends and allies worldwide, on climate, health, and many other issues.

“The United States led the creation of a stabilizing international system 80 years ago because it was good for the world and for Americans. It was, and remains, a great deal for the American people — paying pennies on the dollar for peace and humanitarian activities that benefit everyone. The value of this investment was well recognized by the first Trump Administration, and we hope will inform the engagement of the second.

“At a moment in human history when we face both challenges and tremendous possibility on a global, even planetary, scale, the U.S. cannot afford to step back from the global game. Indeed, Americans have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, from strong U.S. leadership in international institutions, now and into the future.”

Commenting on the Administration’s move to withdraw from the World Health Organization, Cara Ciullo, Senior Director of UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign added:

“The WHO has led global immunization efforts that have saved hundreds of millions of lives, ended the longstanding scourge of smallpox, and brought us extremely close to a polio-free world.”

“By helping to vaccinate more than 100 million of the world’s children against deadly, infectious diseases each year, the WHO also stops costly outbreaks before they reach the United States, keeping Americans healthy and our economy strong. Shot@Life urges the new Administration to engage with the WHO to ensure the continuation of U.S. leadership in this vital body.”