Recent statements by WHO Chief favoring politics rather than health issues: Francesca Ronchin

Addis Ababa, March 22, 2022 (FBC) – Italian Journalist Francesca Ronchin exclusively told FBC that last statements being issued by Dr. Tedros, are making things clearer how his attention seems to focus more on politics rather than on health issues that are required by his position.

It was pretty shocking to hear Dr. Tedros at a press conference on COVID 19 and Ukraine Crisis in Geneva last March 16th saying: “nowhere on earth are people more at risk than Tigray”, reminding the audience he is from Tigray and the crisis affects him, his family and his friends personally, she said.

“Why bringing up a personal issue within the contest of two global emergencies like the response to COVID 19 pandemic and the Ukraine scenario?” She asked. If the remark was aimed to remind the world of some forgotten scenarios, the WHO Chief should have mentioned other forgotten Scenarios in Amhara and Afar region too, he underlined.

“Are the people in Amhara and Afar Regions are at less risk than those in Tigray? What about the killings of ethnic Amharas and other Ethiopians by the TPLF and Shane Groups?” She said.

Also, Dr. Tedros never mentioned about close to 3,000 health facilities that have stopped functioning in Amhara and Afar Regions due to destruction and looting made against them by the TPLF Group, Francesca noted.

As the WHO’s Director, he should have cared about such a harrowing problems, she said, adding that OCHA’s latest report indicates that the situation in Amhara and Afar is progressively deteriorating and that the presence of many damaged health facilities is limiting capacities to respond to the problems.

“WHO has not openly talked about any measure taken to restore the vandalized looted health facilities in the two regions, it is only mentioning about health facilities not operational in Tigray,” she added.

Surprisingly, Dr. Tedros doesn’t even seem to care about keeping a semblance of neutrality or to balance the image of partiality. His statements in Twitter, Facebook and other platforms over the last two years have been made in favor of TPLF and its allies.

“Dr. Tedros feels confident of the upcoming second term as Chief WHO and seemingly he counts on a broad political support within the international community including the U.S. which is preparing to impose multilateral sanctions against Ethiopia through HR6600 draft bill.

“H.R. 6600, Ethiopia Stabilization, Peace and Democracy Act” sounds like a cynical joke. The draft bill that include suspension of security and financial assistance to the Ethiopian government and require USA to oppose loans by international agencies such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to Ethiopia and Eritrea will seriously affect the livelihood and economic activities of the Ethiopian people if approved.

“How can these measures be called “instrument of peace, democracy and stabilization”? She paraphrased.

“The sanctions might end up in affecting the ordinary people of Ethiopia particularly the poorest. No need to mention how they will be the main obstacle to the implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” Francesca underlined.

According to OCHA, in Ethiopia there are more than 9 million people who need food assistance, and the fact the U.S. is calling the member countries of the United Nations Security Council, among the others, to achieve a coordinated imposition of multilateral sanctions is more than cynical.

“If so, in fact, it would mean that the UN, and the US as one of the Security Council leading members, would be in an ambivalent situation because on one side, they ask the African nations to develop and reach sustainability while on the other, they promote sanctions which are responsible of keeping the African populations dependent on humanitarian aid,” she said.

“The U.S should stop its preparation for the sanction unless its real aim is to keep African countries dependent on aid, which is a new form of colonialism,” She added.