MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: BRICS member states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) could increase their funding of the World Health Organization (WHO) and to expand medical cooperation with other states due to the US decision to withdraw its contributions to the organization, Dmitry Suslov, deputy head of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies of the Higher School of Economics National Research University, said on Thursday.
"A few days ago, the US announced that it would withdraw or suspend funding of the World Health Organization. BRICS states could make a statement, in which they would announce their increased contributions to this organization that plays a central role in the global anti-pandemic governance," Suslov said. "BRICS states could announce further coordination in their approaches to aiding other states, states with weaker healthcare systems than those of BRICS states."
The expert stressed that the spread of the disease in less developed countries would threaten the security of BRICS member states. He noted that BRICS is interested in strengthening the healthcare system in such states.
Cui Zheng, deputy head of the Research Center for the Economies and Politics of Transitional Countries at Liaoning University, expressed a similar opinion. He noted that China actively helps their partners within BRICS to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic.
