The United States rejoins UNESCO, despite opposition from Russia and China

USA It rejoined UNESCO on Friday, from which it had left under the presidency of Donald Trump, with the support of a large majority of the members of this UN agency, but with the opposition of Russia and China.

The request for readmission was approved during an extraordinary general conference of the organization dedicated to education, science and culture by 132 votes in favor, 10 against and 15 abstentions.

“The resolution was adopted”, proclaimed the president of the assembly, the Brazilian Santiago Irazabal Mouraounleashing a round of applause.

“We are really happy for this support (…) It is very important for us to be part of this multilateral organization”, told AFP the US ambassador to France, Denise Bauer.

“It’s a great day, a historic moment”, celebrated the general director of the Unesco, Audray Azoulayhighlighting a “extremely clear response, favorable by more than 90% of the States voting and present”.

Several countries expressed their satisfaction after the vote. “Everyone within (Unesco), much better ”, an Argentine diplomat reacted. “This return reinforces multilateralism” and the finances of the organization”, affirmed a Spanish diplomat.

Among the countries that voted against are Iran, Syria, China and above all Russia, which multiplied the procedures and amendments to delay the vote.

Chinese vote against

USA announced his departure from the organization in October 2017, denouncing his “persistent anti-Israel bias”. His departure, along with that of Israel, became effective in December 2018.

But Washington had already suspended its financial contribution to UNESCO in 2011, under the presidency of Barack Obama, when Palestine joined the agency.

This was a severe financial blow for the entity, by depriving it of 22% of its annual budget.

But this month the Joe Biden administration proposed, in a letter to Azoulay, “a plan” of reintegration into the organization, which is based in Paris.

The turnaround occurs in a context of growing rivalry with Chinawhich aspires to consolidate its emergence as a leading actor in a new multilateral world order, a process in which Unesco has a leading role.

The head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, assured in March that the absence of his country in the agency allowed China to more easily impose its criteria on crucial issues such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Unesco issued a recommendation on the Ethics of AI in 2021.

“I really think we should go back to Unesco. Not to do you a favour, but because what happens at Unesco is importanthe declared.

Beijing, which initially said it would not oppose the return of the United States after an apparent recent improvement in bilateral relations, ended up voting against it.

Debt of US$ 619 million

The US debt contracted between 2011 and 2018 with UNESCO currently amounts to US$619 million, an amount greater than the entity’s annual budget, estimated at US$534 million.

Washington informed in its letter to Azoulay that it had asked the US Congress to disburse 150 million dollars for the fiscal year of 2024 and that it would maintain that contribution in the following years “until the arrears are settled” with the organization.

A Russian diplomat expressed his obfuscation at the return of the United States to the entity.

“We would be prepared to welcome the will of Washington“, which “would allow us to strengthen our organization“, he claimed.

But he maintained that Washington should settle all its debt with the Unesco before being reinstated.

“Those who defend democracy and the rule of law try to drag us into violating the rules and arrogating privileged rights.“, held.

USA first left the Unesco in 1984, under the presidency of Ronald Reagan, for its supposed uselessness and its budgetary excesses, but it returned in October 2003.

“The United States has already withdrawn twice from the organization. We don’t know how many more times we will have to ‘welcome’ him”, joked a North Korean diplomat, opposed to the use of this terminology in the UN resolution.