US exits WHO with $260M unpaid dues, legal dispute looms

DID Press: US formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move that Bloomberg reports leaves the U.S. with roughly $260 million in unpaid contributions and has sparked criticism over Washington’s accountability in global health governance.

According to the report, all U.S. financial support to WHO has been cut, and U.S.-linked staff have been recalled from the agency’s headquarters and regional offices. The decision is widely seen as a major blow to one of the world’s key health coordination bodies, which plays a central role in managing health crises ranging from pandemics to vaccination programmes.

WHO has said it will review legal options to pursue the U.S. debt at its upcoming assembly in May, potentially setting the stage for an unprecedented legal and political dispute between Washington and the organization.