❓WHAT HAPPENED: Argentina has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO).
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Argentine President Javier Milei’s government and the WHO.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The withdrawal was completed on March 17, 2026, as announced by the Foreign Ministry.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Argentina will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, while fully preserving its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies.” – Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno
🎯IMPACT: The move follows the United States’ similar decision earlier this year, raising questions about the WHO’s influence.
Argentina has now finalized its exit from the World Health Organization (WHO), with officials confirming the withdrawal was completed on Tuesday. The announcement comes after the United States took similar action earlier this year. The administration of President Javier Milei, an ally of President Donald J. Trump, had signaled its intent to leave the United Nations (UN) agency roughly a year ago. The decision was largely driven by concerns over how the organization managed the COVID-19 crisis.
According to Argentina’s Foreign Ministry, the withdrawal was carried out in full compliance with the rules governing international agreements. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno stressed that the country will continue to engage in global health efforts, stating that Argentina remains open to cooperation through bilateral and regional partnerships while prioritizing national sovereignty.
“Argentina will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, while fully preserving its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies, ” Quirno said.
In prior statements, Argentine officials criticized the WHO, arguing that its guidance during the pandemic appeared influenced by politics rather than grounded purely in scientific evidence. This mirrors the justification offered by the United States, which formally exited in January after an executive order signed by President Trump.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian health minister for the left-wing ethnic nationalist Tigray People’s Liberation Front, expressed disappointment following the U.S. withdrawal, claiming that the move could weaken global health security and coordination.
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