The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on Monday that the funding cuts the organization suffered during 2025, as the United States moved to withdraw, provided an opportunity to develop its work and make it more resilient.
The United States is the largest donor to the WHO, but it halted much of its aid to international organizations during Donald Trump’s second term. On the first day of his return to the White House in January 2025, the US President issued an official notice to the UN health agency that his country would withdraw within a year.
Tedros explained during the annual meeting of the organization’s Executive Board that 2025 was “undoubtedly one of the most difficult years in our organization’s history” as a large number of donor countries reduced their support. He added, “The significant reduction in our funding left us with no choice but to downsize our workforce.”
Reducing Reliance on Donors
Despite more than a thousand staff members leaving their positions, Tedros emphasized that the organization had been preparing for this and worked hard to reduce its reliance on donors. He clarified that the restructuring is nearly complete.
– The World Health Organization faces a $1 billion shortfall following the US withdrawal
The Director-General said, “We have now largely completed the process of prioritization and restructuring. We have reached a stage of stability, and we are moving forward.” He added, “Although we faced a major crisis last year, we also viewed it as an opportunity… for the organization to focus more on its core mission.”
He urged member states to continue gradually increasing membership fees to reduce the WHO’s reliance on donations. The organization aims for membership fees to cover 50% of its budget to ensure its long-term stability, sustainability, and independence.
