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The European Commission has suspended funding for World Health Organization programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over a sexual assault scandal. writes Reuters.
The publication reports that it had a letter dated October 7, which announced the immediate suspension of funding for five WHO programs, including the Ebola and COVID-19 programs. The total amount is over 20.7 million euros.
The Commission confirmed the authenticity of the letter and said that the European Union expects from the partners “reliable guarantees to prevent such unacceptable incidents, as well as decisive action in such situations.”
The Independent Commission reported last month that about 83 humanitarian workers, a quarter of whom were hired by WHO, were involved in sexual abuse and assault during the 10th Ebola epidemic in Congo. The report cites nine rape charges.
The Commission asks for a response from WHO within 30 days and advises that Brussels will need another 30 days to decide whether to resume payments or confirm a new one-month suspension.
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