WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday formally rejoined the UN’s scientific, educational and cultural organization after a five-year absence.
The US return to the Paris-based UNESCO was based mainly on concerns that China has filled a leadership gap since the US withdrew during the Trump administration. UNESCO’s governing board voted last week to approve the Biden administration’s proposal for the US to rejoin.
On Monday, the US delivered a document certifying it would accept the invitation. On Tuesday, UNESCO’s Director General Audrey Azoulay said it was official. A welcome ceremony with a flag-raising and VIP guests is expected in late July.
“This is excellent news for UNESCO. The momentum we have regained in recent years will now continue to grow. Our initiatives will be stronger throughout the world,” Azoulay said.
The Biden administration had announced last month that it would apply to rejoin the 193-member organization that plays a major role in setting international standards for artificial intelligence and technology education.
The US is now the 194th member of UNESCO.
“Our organization is once again moving toward universality,” Azoulay said. She called the return of the United States “excellent news for multilateralism as a whole. If we want to meet the challenges of our century, there can only be a collective response.”
The Trump administration in 2017 announced that the US would withdraw from UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias. That decision that took effect a year later.
The US and Israel stopped financing UNESCO after it voted to include Palestine as a member state in 2011.
The Biden administration has requested $150 million for the 2024 budget to go toward UNESCO dues and arrears. The plan foresees similar requests for the ensuing years until the full debt of $619 million is paid off.
That makes up a big chunk of UNESCO’s $534 million annual operating budget. Before leaving, the US contributed 22 percent of the agency’s overall funding.
The United States previously pulled out of UNESCO under the Reagan administration in 1984 because it viewed the agency as mismanaged, corrupt and used to advance Soviet interests. It rejoined in 2003 during George W. Bush’s presidency.
US formally rejoins UNESCO after five-year absence
https://arab.news/67a8j
US formally rejoins UNESCO after five-year absence
- Return was based on concerns that China has filled a leadership gap in UNESCO since the US withdrew during the Trump administration
US believes Hamas disarmament comes along with some sort of amnesty, US official says
- The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a question on whether Israel would agree to amnesty for Hamas members if they give up their weapons
WASHINGTON: The United States believes disarmament by Hamas militants in Gaza comes along with some sort of amnesty for the Palestinian group, a US official said on Monday.
The official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, spoke to mark the return of the remains of the last Israeli hostage held by Hamas. Israel and the United States are pressuring Hamas to disarm as part of a plan in which Gaza will be redeveloped.
The official said there is confidence among US officials that Hamas will disarm.
“We are listening to many of their people talk about disarming. We think they’re going to. If they don’t disarm, then they’ve breached the deal. We think disarmament comes along with some sort of amnesty and candidly we think we have a very, very good program to disarm,” the official said.
The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a question on whether Israel would agree to amnesty for Hamas members if they give up their weapons.
Under President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries, under the plan.
The Israeli military said on Monday that the remains of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, police officer Ran Gvili who was held hostage for more than 840 days — have been identified and will be returned for burial.
