Argentina has officially withdrawn from the WHO, following in the footsteps of the US: what Milei said

Al Jazeera reports this, citing a statement by Argentina’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno.

Argentina has officially completed the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organisation and has formally severed ties with the global health body. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno announced on Tuesday that this decision had come into effect.

According to him, Argentina’s withdrawal from the WHO came into effect exactly one year after the country sent official notification of this step. A WHO document prepared for the Executive Board states that the Argentine notification was received on 17 March 2025, with the withdrawal taking effect on 17 March 2026.

Quirno stated that Argentina would continue to promote international cooperation in the field of public health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, whilst “fully preserving its sovereignty” and the ability to make independent decisions on health policy.

This move follows on from a decision first announced by the Argentine authorities back in February last year. At the time, the government of right-wing President Javier Milei explained its intention to withdraw from the organisation by citing concerns over the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Al Jazeera notes that Milei’s decision mirrors a similar move by his right-wing ally, US President Donald Trump. Both leaders have previously sharply criticised international organisations which, in their view, promote a progressive agenda in the fields of health and medicine.

According to the WHO, the US has also notified the organisation of its intention to withdraw, with official documents stating that the US withdrawal will take effect on 22 January 2026. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at the time that the arguments put forward by Washington for this decision were unfounded, and warned that this move makes both the US and the world less safe.

Miley himself had previously described the WHO as a “sinister organisation” and claimed that it had conducted “the greatest experiment in social control in history”, referring to the lockdowns and other restrictive measures during the pandemic. This refers, in particular, to mask mandates, social distancing and vaccination, which have been the subject of criticism from right-wing politicians in various countries.

At the same time, Al Jazeera emphasises that the WHO primarily performs an advisory role and does not dictate domestic policy to member states. As of Tuesday, Argentina was still listed among the 194 members on the organisation’s website.