See you never!
Trump withdrew from WHO, but Africa has a lot to lose.
Happy Friday, Big Brains! I’m flirting with the idea of making tacos over the weekend, so I’m excited. I hope you have a great weekend, too.
- Margaret
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Let’s get into today’s edition:
Africa isn’t happy about Trump’s withdrawal from WHO
Trump is granting presidential pardon to policemen involved in a black teen’s murder
The Big Deal
Africa isn’t happy about Trump’s withdrawal from WHO
You can say whatever you want about the newly inaugurated President of the United States, Donald Trump, but you can’t deny that the man knows how to make an entrance. A few hours after his inauguration on Monday, January 20, he said, “See you never” to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by signing an executive order to withdraw his country from the global health organisation.
Africa is a big beneficiary of WHO’s work, so it wasn’t surprising that the African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat released a statement saying that the commission is “dismayed to learn of the US government’s announcement to withdraw” from WHO.
You’d think “dismayed” is a dramatic choice of word, but in this case, it isn’t. Mr Mahamat, who understands the effect of the US’s exit better than most Africans, also pleaded with Trump to reconsider the withdrawal.
But judging by the fact that this isn’t Trump’s first attempt at withdrawing from WHO, we doubt that Mr Mahamat’s plea will do much.
Why is this a big deal?
This isn’t just America’s business; it’s Africa’s business, too. The World Health Organization has a commendable history in Africa - from fighting diseases like Ebola to providing vaccines during emergencies, they’ve done quite a lot to shield the continent from the poor decisions of its leaders. Let’s start with the Nigerian government who allocated only 4.47% of the 2024 budget instead of the 15% agreed upon by AU member states (to fight HIV and AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis).
The implication of the 2024 health allocation meant that each Nigerian citizen got ₦6,831 for all their healthcare needs. But you most likely didn’t know this because WHO covered some grounds behind the scene.
Now, with the US — WHO’s biggest financial contributor — stepping back, there’s a huge question mark over how African countries will get the support they need.
This could mean less funding for health programs in Africa. Nigeria, for instance, has benefited massively from WHO’s support in its fight against diseases like polio. Last year, WHO donated $135 million to Nigeria and other African countries affected by the Monkeypox outbreak. Without the US’s contribution, this kind of doings could face serious cuts.
While it’s obvious the cuts could affect African countries, the African Union is also concerned that the US withdrawal might end up biting the world in the ass because if a disease outbreak in the continent cannot be contained, even the US won’t be safe from it. WHO’s role in managing health crises, from COVID-19 to outbreaks of cholera and malaria, cannot be denied.
So, yeah. This is a pretty big deal!
Trump is granting presidential pardon to policemen involved in a black teen’s murder
When we said Donald Trump knows how to make an entrance, we didn’t exactly mean the good kind. On Wednesday, January 22, the freshly sworn-in US President pardoned two police officers convicted in the 2020 murder of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown.
The officers, Terence Sutton Jr. and Andrew Zabavsky, were sentenced for their role in a police chase that ended in a fatal crash on October 23, 2020. Sutton was sentenced to 66 months in prison, while Zabavsky received a 48-month sentence. Both men had appealed their convictions and maintained their freedom while waiting for their case to be reviewed. They were also suspended without pay.
Sutton was convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice after a nine-week trial in late 2022, while Zabavsky was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.
The jury discovered that Sutton’s reckless driving during the chase directly caused Hylton-Brown’s death, showing a “conscious disregard” for the danger he was putting others in. They also said that Sutton and Zabavsky tried to cover up the details of the crash to avoid taking responsibility.
Despite their convictions, both officers had support from the DC Police Union, who pushed for the pardons. Even though their attorneys are celebrating Trump’s decision, Hylton-Brown’s mother is reportedly heartbroken.
Earlier this week, Trump pulled a similar controversial move when he pardoned around 1,500 people (who are reportedly Trump’s mob supporters) involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including some of who had assaulted police officers and were connected to the death of Brian Sicknick (one of the attacked officers). Sicknick’s brother describes Trump as a man who "doesn't understand pain or suffering of others. He can't comprehend anyone else's feelings”. He also added that the US no longer has any rule of law.
The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the US, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police released a joint statement saying they are “deeply discouraged” by the pardons. If police officers can’t understand where Trump’s head is at, we won’t even attempt to.
Some experts also shared that Trump’s action might make extremist groups like white supremacists (who have been vocal about their support for political violence) bolder.
Trump has claimed to be the “least racist person” in the past, but his track record makes that hard to believe. We’re not sure if his move is inspired by any racist motive, but the disregard for Hylton-Brown’s life is quite telling.
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