Axios
The Biden government has ‘deep concern’ over WTO COOID-19 inquiry
President Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in a statement on Saturday that the government was concerned about the World Health Organization’s (WHO) investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why it matters: Sullivan said the government fears the Chinese government may have intervened or changed the findings of the investigation. Keep up to date with the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Sign up for free. Context: On the first day of his reign, Biden acted to return the US to the WHO. The Trump administration began a withdrawal from the organization in July 2020. WHO teams conducted the investigation in Wuhan, China, where the virus first originated, last month. The investigation was agreed until May last year, but it was delayed after Chinese officials withheld authorization to allow the international team’s scheduled visit. The delay provoked a rare reprimand from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO team concluded that it was ‘extremely unlikely’ that the virus came from a laboratory accident and that it most likely jumped to humans through an intermediary. “Our initial findings suggest that the introduction of an intermediary host is the most likely route and that more studies and more specific, targeted research are needed,” said WHO scientist Peter Ben Embarek. They say: ‘The mission of the World Health Organization (WHO) has never been so important, and we have deep respect for its experts and the work they do every day to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and global health and safety. “Promoting health security,” Sullivan said in a statement. “Involving the WHO also means meeting the highest standards. And at this critical moment, protecting the WHO’s credibility is a top priority.” We are deeply concerned about the way in which the early findings of the COVID-19 investigation were communicated and questions about the process of achieving them. ‘ ‘It is essential that this report is independent, with expert findings without intervention or change. by the Chinese government. To better understand this pandemic and prepare for the next one, China needs to make its data available from the earliest days of the outbreak. The big picture: Sullivan has said in the future that all countries, including China, should be more transparent in order to prevent health emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic and to make other countries respond more quickly. , said in a statement that in the past year the US has seriously damaged “multilateral institutions, including the WHO, and international cooperation on COVID-19. “So the US should not ‘point the finger at other countries’ that have supported the WHO, the statement added. Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with comments from the Chinese Embassy. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.