Following a proposal sent June 8 to the United Nations Education, Culture and Science (UNESCO) Director-General, the United States outlined a concrete financial plan to repay its estimated arrears of $619 million and expressed its desire to rejoin the organization as early as July.
After an extraordinary session of the General Conference, UNESCO’s 193 member states convened to evaluate the proposal, according to a June 30 UNESCO news release. They overwhelmingly approved the American bid for full reentry with 132 votes in favor and only 10 against.
"I am encouraged and grateful that @UNESCO members have accepted the U.S. proposal that will allow us to continue steps toward rejoining the organization," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a June 30 Twitter post. "As @POTUS has said, the United States is stronger, safer and more prosperous when we engage with the rest of the world."
The return of U.S. to UNESCO is a major development for international collaboration, the release reported.
“It's a great day for UNESCO and for multilateralism,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in the release. “Building upon the momentum achieved in recent years, our organization is once again moving toward universalism with this return of the United States.”
The U.S. will contribute approximately 22% of UNESCO's regular budget, providing a substantial boost to the organization’s funding, according to the release. This commitment will be complemented by the gradual repayment of arrears and voluntary contributions from 2023 onward.
The voluntary funds will support various programs, including initiatives dedicated to enhancing education access in Africa, preserving the memory of the Holocaust and safeguarding journalists, the release said.
“UNESCO's mandate – education, science, culture, freedom of information – is absolutely central to meeting the challenges of the 21st century,” Azoulay said in the release. “It is this centrality, as well as the easing of political tensions within the organization and the initiatives launched in recent years, that have led the United States to initiate this return.”
The reinforced budget will enable UNESCO to implement and expand its programs in education, culture, science and information. The organization can also intensify its efforts in crucial areas such as Africa and gender equality, which are among its strategic priorities.
“By rejoining UNESCO, the United States would reinforce that message and restore our leadership in a vital international space,” Blinken said in a statement.
