Scott Morrison calls Donald Trump to discuss holding the WHO to account for pandering to China over the coronavirus pandemic – and says US and Australia are ‘best mates’
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spoken to President Donald Trump on phone
- Mr Morrison said the pair discussed strategies to relax coronavirus restrictions
- Pair also discussed the WHO’s response to virus which has infected 2.5million
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spoken to President Donald Trump about how the World Health Organisation can ‘improve’ after both leaders criticised how it dealt the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Morrison called Mr Trump at around midday on Wednesday (AEST) and later tweeted about the conversation.
He said they discussed strategies to relax coronavirus restrictions and also the WHO’s response to the deadly virus which has infected 2.5million people globally.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spoken to President Donald Trump (pictured together in September) on the phone about how the World Health Organisation can ‘improve’
Mr Morrison called Mr Trump at around midday on Wednesday (AEST) and later tweeted about the conversation
The WHO has come under fire for being slow to declare a pandemic, telling nations not to shut their borders and praising China’s response despite claims of a cover-up.
President Trump accused the organisation of being ‘China-centric’ and vowed to cut funding.
Mr Morrison has also criticised the WHO – particularly over its refusal to ban wet markets – but has said Australia will not walk away from funding the organisation.
In his tweets after the call, Mr Morrison wrote: ‘We had a very constructive discussion on our health responses to #COVID19 and the need to get our market-led and business-centred economies up and running again.
‘We also talked about the WHO and working together to improve the transparency and effectiveness of international responses to pandemics.
Mr Morrison signed off by praising Australia’s relationship with the United States.
‘Australia and the US are the best of mates and we’ll continue to align our efforts as we work towards the recovery on the other side of this virus,’ he wrote.
US President Donald Trump speaks as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison laugh during a meeting in the Oval Office in September
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny in September in the White House