The United States continues to lead the world’s COVID-19 response, with a commitment of more than $10 billion to fight the pandemic worldwide.
“There is no country that remotely rivals what the United States has done to help combat this terrible virus,” Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said May 20.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has interfered with and refuses to collaborate with global information-sharing about the virus.
“Beijing continues to deny investigators access to relevant facilities, to withhold live virus samples, to censor discussion of the pandemic within China,” Pompeo said.
The United States has committed more than $10 billion in funding toward vaccine research, humanitarian aid and emergency preparedness.
The State Department announced May 20 an additional $162 million for COVID-19 efforts, which brings State Department and USAID funding to more than $1 billion. This additional support will go toward vital health interventions, improvement in water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and reducing food insecurity caused by the pandemic.
The U.S. is also following through on President Trump’s commitment to provide much-needed ventilators to Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. USAID donated American-made ventilators to South Africa on May 11 and to Russia on May 20, and more are on the way to U.S. allies around the world.
The American private sector, faith-based groups, and ordinary citizens have also supplied over $4.3 billion in donations to help the world through the coronavirus crisis, according to Pompeo.
U.S. humanitarian relief to ongoing crises also continues during the pandemic. The State Department, in partnership with USAID and the Inter-American Foundation, is providing $200 million to help Venezuelans in need.
This is all compared to “a promise of $2 billion from the Chinese” government, Pompeo said. While China continues to hide their mismanagement of the crisis and deny the world access to vital epidemiological information, the U.S. continues to support the international community through research-sharing, monetary donations and humanitarian collaboration.
“This is what we do all around the world,” Pompeo said. “We will help the world recover from this pandemic.”
