United States Formally Withdraws from WHO Without Paying 260 Million Dollars in Dues

The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization, ending decades of cooperation between Washington and the UN health agency. The country’s Ministry of Health and Human Services announced on Thursday, January 22, that all procedures for separation had been completed.

The US still owes 260 million dollars in unpaid dues to the WHO. Legal experts say it is unlikely that the amount will ever be paid. A WHO official told CNN that, under normal rules, a member state cannot withdraw without clearing its outstanding payments. However, the organization has no mechanism to force the United States to pay, leaving the situation in a complicated limbo.

In a formal statement, the US Health Ministry said all American government funding to the WHO has been halted. All US personnel and contractors working with or assigned to the organization have been recalled. The statement also confirmed that the United States has ended its participation in WHO committees, governing bodies and technical working groups.