The United States did not take part in a world-wide virtual conference to raise money to help fund vaccine research for the coronavirus that totaled $8 billion in contributions from governments and organizations on Monday, NBC News reported.
“This will help kick-start unprecedented global cooperation,” said Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, which co-led the effort in response to an appeal by the World Health Organization for international collaboration to combat the pandemic.
The Trump administration's non-participation in the campaign came after its announcement last month that the US would stop funding to the WHO until a review of the agency’s response to the coronavirus is complete.
That decision was criticized by many world leaders, including from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said: "Now is a time for unity in the global battle to push the COVID-19 pandemic into reverse, not a time to cut the resources of the World Health Organization, which is spearheading and coordinating the global body's efforts."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who pledged more than $600 million during the virtual conference on Monday, said that "We cannot isolate ourselves," adding that wealthy countries “need to take care of ourselves ... by taking care of the rest of the world."
A senior Trump administration official explained the American absence from Monday's fundraiser by saying the U.S. has already given significant funding and backing to organizations and programs connected to combating the pandemic and is leading in other similar efforts.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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