U.N. cultural and scientific agency UNESCO announced Monday that the United States plans to rejoin 害羞草研究所� and pay more than $600 million in back dues 害羞草研究所� after a decade-long dispute sparked by the organization害羞草研究所檚 move to include Palestine as a member.
U.S. officials say was motivated by concern that China is filling the gap left by the U.S. in UNESCO policymaking, notably in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology education around the world.
The U.S. and Israel stopped funding UNESCO after it voted to include Palestine as a member state in 2011, and the Trump administration to withdraw from the agency altogether the following year, citing long-running anti-Israel bias and management problems.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma submitted a letter last week to UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay formalizing the plan to rejoin. Verma noted progress in depoliticizing debate about the Middle East at UNESCO and reforming the agency害羞草研究所檚 management, according to the hand-delivered letter, obtained by AP.
Applause rang out in the solemn UNESCO auditorium as Azoulay announced the plan to ambassadors at a special meeting Monday, and delegate after delegate stood up to welcome the news. The return of the U.S., once the agency害羞草研究所檚 biggest funder, is expected to face a vote by its 193 member states next month, according to a UNESCO diplomat.
The decision is a big financial boost to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, known for its as well as projects to fight climate change and teach girls to read.
China害羞草研究所檚 ambassador to UNESCO, Jin Yang, said his country 害羞草研究所渁ppreciates害羞草研究所� UNESCO害羞草研究所檚 efforts to bring the U.S. back, saying its absence had a 害羞草研究所渘egative impact害羞草研究所� on the agency害羞草研究所檚 work.
害羞草研究所淏eing a member of an international organization is a serious issue, and we hope that the return of the U.S. this time means it acknowledges the mission and the goals of the organization,害羞草研究所� the ambassador said.
Since Azoulay has worked to address the reasons the U.S. left, through budget reforms and building consensus among Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli diplomats around sensitive UNESCO resolutions. Azoulay 害羞草研究所� who is Jewish 害羞草研究所� won broad praise by UNESCO ambassadors for her personal efforts to address U.S. concerns around Israel in particular.
The U.S. decision to come back 害羞草研究所渋s the result of five years of work, during which we calmed tensions, notably on the Middle East, improved our response to contemporary challenges, resumed major initiatives on the ground and modernized the functioning of the organization,害羞草研究所� Azoulay told The Associated Press.
She met with Democrats and Republicans in Washington to explain those efforts, according to a UNESCO diplomat. Thanks to those bipartisan negotiations, UNESCO diplomats expressed confidence that the U.S. decision to return is for the long term, regardless of who wins next year害羞草研究所檚 presidential election.
The diplomats were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the behind-the-scenes work that led to the U.S. decision.
Under the plan, the U.S. government would pay its 2023 dues plus $10 million in bonus contributions this year earmarked for Holocaust education, preserving cultural heritage in Ukraine, journalist safety, and science and technology education in Africa, Verma害羞草研究所檚 letter says.
The Biden administration has already 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害羞草研究所檚 $534 million annual operating budget. Before leaving, the U.S. contributed 22% of the agency害羞草研究所檚 overall funding.
Undersecretary of State for Management John Bass said in March that the U.S. absence from UNESCO has strengthened China, and 害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶛undercuts our ability to be as effective in promoting our vision of a free world.害羞草研究所�
He said UNESCO is key in setting and shaping standards for technology and science teaching around the world, 害羞草研究所渟o if we害羞草研究所檙e really serious about the digital-age competition with China 害羞草研究所� we can害羞草研究所檛 afford to be absent any longer.害羞草研究所�
The U.S. absence plunged the agency into financial uncertainty. UNESCO diplomats described belt-squeezing across agency programs and aggressive efforts by Azoulay to boost voluntary financing from other countries to fill gaps.
One diplomat expressed hope that the return of the U.S. would bring 害羞草研究所渕ore ambition, and more serenity害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and energize programs to regulate artificial intelligence, educate girls in Afghanistan and chronicle
The diplomat said that the agency would also 害羞草研究所渨elcome害羞草研究所� Israel back if it wanted to rejoin. There was no immediate response from the Israeli government.
Israel has long accused the United Nations of anti-Israel bias. In 2012, over Israeli objections, the state of Palestine was recognized as a nonmember observer state by the U.N. General Assembly. The Palestinians claim the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip 害羞草研究所� territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war 害羞草研究所� for an independent state. Israel says the Palestinians害羞草研究所� efforts to win recognition at the U.N. are aimed at circumventing a negotiated settlement and meant to pressure Israel into concessions.
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.
害羞草研究所擜ngela Charlton, The Associated Press
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