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US Sec., WHO chief discuss chances to strengthen group

WASHINGTON, July 28 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Blinken and Tedros discussed opportunities for collaboration to continue reforming and strengthening the WHO, while also building greater global pandemic preparedness and response capacity across the board, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Blinken affirmed U.S. support for the WHO's plans to conduct additional studies into the COVID-19 origins, including in the People's Republic of China, to better understand the current pandemic and prevent future ones, Price added. "He stressed the need for the next phase to be timely, evidence-based, transparent, expert-led, and free from interference," he noted.
"Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of the international community coming together on this matter of critical concern and reiterated our support for a multilateral approach to global health security more broadly," he stated. Blinken and Tedros committed to work together and with all Member States to make meaningful, concrete progress in strengthening global health security to prevent, detect, and respond to future pandemics and health threats, according to Price.
Earlier in the day, Blinken arrived in Kuwait coming from India, within the framework of a tour during which he will hold talks on the bilateral relations between the two countries and a number of issues of common concern. (end) asj.shs.hm