The African Union (AU) has said that it fully supports the World Health Organization and its leader Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus after attacks by the US President Donald Trump.

AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat tweeted that he was “surprised by the US campaign against WHO’s global leadership”.

He added that the AU “fully backs WHO and Dr Tedros”:

Surprised to learn of a campaign by the US govt against @WHO’s global leadership. The @_AfricanUnion fully supports @WHO and @DrTedros. The focus should remain on collectively fighting #Covid19 as a united global community. The time for accountability will come.

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) April 8, 2020

Dr Tedros, an Ethiopian national, is the first African to head the WHO.

President Trump tweeted on Tuesday that the WHO was “very China-centric” yet it is “largely” funded by the US.

He later suggested in a press conference that the US should “put a hold on money” to the global organisation.

One reason Mr Trump’s cites for his views on the WHO is its advice in February against imposing travel restrictions against China when most cases of Covid-19 were concentrated there.

The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2020