US President Donald Trump has dealt a blow to global efforts to close ranks in the face of the new Corona virus epidemic, after his decision to freeze the funding of the World Health Organization, which drew criticism from world leaders who called for solidarity In the face of a major economic crisis caused by the epidemic.
Trump´s sudden decision came, as a number of countries began experimenting with easing the restrictions imposed to contain the epidemic, to enter the world in a new and uncertain stage of the epidemic that has so far resulted in the death of more than 125 thousand people and injured at least two million around the world.
In Europe, Denmark was the first country on the epidemic-stricken continent to reopen its schools, while Finland lifted the travel ban from the Helsinki region.
Italy and Spain also allowed some shops and companies to resume their business, after indications that the number of deaths and injuries began to decrease in the two countries, which recorded large numbers of deaths.
However, as governments discuss how to resume economic activity without causing new waves of injuries, Trump dealt a blow to international solidarity efforts by blaming the World Health Organization.
He ordered the US President to freeze funding for the organization until its role is reviewed "in severe mismanagement and concealing the outbreak of the new Corona virus."
He said that if the organization had provided an accurate assessment of the situation in China where the disease first appeared late last year, it could have been contained and reduced the number of deaths.
World leaders criticized the US president, who at first reduced the risk of the virus that has caused the largest number of deaths in the world in the United States.
"There is no time to waste. The only concern for the World Health Organization is to help all people to save lives and end the outbreak of the new Corona virus," he said, without mentioning Trump´s decision.
But he later regretted the US president´s decision.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also criticized Trump´s decision, and expressed his deep regret, stressing that "it is not the time to cut funding for WHO operations" that "should be supported because it is essential to the world´s efforts to win the war against Coved-19."
Billionaire billionaire Bill Gates also criticized Trump´s decision and said the funding cuts were "very serious."
Beijing, which Trump has blamed for weeks, warned that the decision "will undermine international cooperation" at "critical moments" of the epidemic.
European Union Foreign Minister Josip Borrell expressed "deep regret" at Trump´s decision and said in a tweet "There is no reason to justify" this decision, while the African Union "deeply" regrets Trump´s decision.
This came as the world sought to alleviate the impending economic catastrophe that the International Monetary Fund said could lead to a loss of 9 trillion dollars, and the global economy entering the worst crisis since the Great Depression of the thirties of the last century.
Among the indications, the German government announced on Wednesday that the country has been stagnating since March.
A poll conducted by France Presse with a number of economists suggests that the Chinese economy, the second largest in the world, recorded a contraction for the first time in nearly three decades in the first quarter.
On the other hand, representatives of the G20 countries agreed on the effect of a hypothetical meeting on a temporary suspension of debt service for the poorest countries to help them face the repercussions of the virus outbreak.
Amid hopes that the epidemic would subside in a number of the worst affected European countries, a number of countries began to gradually reduce restrictions, amid mixed reactions.
Children have started returning to kindergartens and primary schools in parts of Denmark that still maintain other restrictions, including the closure of borders, bars and restaurants.
Finnish Prime Minister Sana Marin announced the lifting of the travel ban in the Helsinki region, while urging residents to avoid movement and saying, "Now is not the time to go to the summer cottage."
As for Italy, the first European country to impose a complete closure, it allowed libraries, laundry shops, stationery and children´s clothing to open its doors.
And Spain, which has seen yet another drop in the daily death toll, has allowed work to start in some factories and construction sites, although most people are still subject to strict housekeeping procedures.
However, there are many warnings that a real return to normal is still far away.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the closure was successful, but "it will not be the same as before until a vaccine is found."
Regional government sources said on Wednesday that Germany was also expected to extend the restrictions until May 3.
However, scientists at Harvard University cautioned that one-time closings were unlikely to be sufficient, and they predicted that frequent periods of social separation until 2022 would be needed to avoid hospitalization of cases.
In other regions of the world, governments find it difficult to impose closures in poor areas, where closures are causing widespread hunger among the poorest segments of the population.
While indicators began to begin to diminish the spread of the virus in Europe, the richest, but the epidemic began to spread in Africa, which recorded 15 thousand cases and 800 deaths across the continent amid fears of increased hunger and the possibility of social unrest.
"The closure is unenforceable and unsustainable in most parts of Africa. They are trying to do something that is not possible and they are making people choose between hunger and disease," said Jackie Sellers of the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria. Not to go out for three weeks. "
A similar crisis has also begun to appear in Ecuador, where hunger adds to fear of the virus for people in poor areas affected by the city of Guayaquil.
"The police come carrying a whip, but how do we tell a poor person (to stay in your house) if he has nothing to eat?" Said teacher Carlos Valencia, 35.
The city´s mayor, Cynthia Viteri, warned that medical facilities are suffering from stress, which means that many will die without being able to be examined, a fact that may cover up the real spread in many poorer areas.
"People are collapsing in their homes, in hospitals and everywhere," said Cynthia.
However, in other parts of the world, examples have emerged that inspire hope for a return to normal life.
Although they are required to wear masks and gloves, the South Koreans went to the polls Wednesday to show their support for President Moon Jae-in, praising how he dealt with the epidemic.
