The US is seeking a return to UNESCO after dating Trump in 2017

NOW has announced his intention to return in July to be a part Unesco, an organization from which she left in 2017 during the tenure of previous President Donald Trump, who specifically accused her of repeatedly taking anti-Israel positions. In a statement, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) explained that the United States had informed it of its decision to rejoin with a special funding plan, which will soon be submitted to member states in an extraordinary session, according to Efe.

Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who called representatives of the 193 member countries to inform them of Washington’s request, congratulated herself on what she described as “a strong act of confidence in UNESCO and multilateralism”. For Azoulay, this means not only affirming what is at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate, “culture, education, science, information,” but also how it is implemented. That is, recognition of one’s own leadership at the helm.

In this regard, UNESCO pointed out that the former French minister, who took office in November 2017, mediated in order to “calm political tensions and reach a consensus on the most sensitive issues, such as the Middle East.” In addition, he pointed out that with the new initiatives that have been taken, UNESCO “completely addresses contemporary challenges” such as ethical issues related to the use of artificial intelligence or the protection of the oceans. These issues, among others, led the United States, according to Azoulay, to make a U-turn in its policy toward the organization.

financial contribution

The US Congress agreed in December to reauthorize a financial contribution to UNESCO that should lead to its reintegration after member states give their approval at an extraordinary general conference to be convened in the coming days.

The plan of the US Congress provides for the payment of an annual contribution, as well as a graduated payment of arrears, which was the first country to contribute to the budget of the organization with 22 percent of the total amount.

In 2011, the administration of President Barack Obama has already frozen that financial contribution, in the application of Congressional legislation, in response to the acceptance of Palestine as a member of the UN organization, without the prior condition that an agreed solution to the conflict with Israel had been reached.

But it was Donald Trump who formalized the divorce six years later because he resented his discussions of the Middle East conflict and his repeated statements condemning Israel and his general dislike of international organizations.

The return of the United States, in a climate within UNESCO less polarized by the conflict in the Middle East, also opens the door to the return of Israel.

United Statess already left UNESCO in 1985, during the presidency of Ronald Reaganand returned in 2003.