What Does the WHO Exit of the USA and Argentina Mean? Dr. Christoph Benn on the Consequences for Global Health

The announced withdrawal of the USA and Argentina from the WHO raises many questions: What impact will this have on global health? What does it mean for funding and international cooperation? Dr. Christoph Benn provides answers in recent media appearances.

On February 6, 2025, Dr. Christoph Benn, a member of the Steering Committee of the Global Health Hub Germany, was interviewed by Uwe Beutler on Hessischer Rundfunk about the future of the World Health Organization following the announced withdrawal of the USA and Argentina. A week later, on February 12, 2025, he also shared his insights on Tagesschau. Dr. Benn is the Director of the JLI Center for Global Health Diplomacy at the Joep Lange Institute (JLI) in Geneva.

On the occasion of the USA's and Argentina's withdrawal from the WHO, Dr. Benn spoke on Hessischer Rundfunk about the impact on the organization’s funding and global health. He also explained the risks that the communication halt between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the WHO could pose for pandemic prevention and the potential consequences of multiple states leaving the WHO for the international political order.

In Tagesschau on February 12, 2025, Dr. Benn reiterated that reliable memberships in the WHO are essential, as human lives depend on the work of the UN organization.

Dr Benn was also interviewed by Katrin Hondl for Deutschlandfunk on February 15, 2025, on his assessment of the impact of the announced exits of the USA and Argentina on the international political order.

Watch the Tagesschau report here (in German only)

Listen to the Deutschlandfunk interview here (in German only)