The United States is ready to join UNESCO and settle its arrears six years after leaving

The moment had been long awaited. It marks the culmination of hard behind-the-scenes diplomacy and complex negotiations in Washington itself. Monday, June 12 in Paris, Audrey Azoulay, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), told members of the organization that the United States is ready to return to its ranks, six years after the withdrawal decided by Donald Trump. trump.

In a letter signed by Assistant Secretary Richard Verma, who the world The Biden administration realized its intention to present a plan for his readmission, at an upcoming special session of the organization’s general conference. “Since our withdrawal from UNESCO on December 31, 2018, we have noted UNESCO’s efforts to implement major reforms in administration and management, as well as its keenness to reduce politicized discussions, especially on Middle Eastern issues.”Welcome message.

In 2011, the Obama administration implemented legislation in Congress and froze the US financial contribution, due to the admission of Palestine as a member of UNESCO prior to any negotiated settlement of the conflict with Israel. In 2017, Donald Trump announced his country’s withdrawal from the organization, due to a “persistent prejudice against Israel”, But also the financial cost, which the president considered excessive at the time, with no appetite for multilateral organizations. When the Americans left the organization, they didn’t expect it to survive. Audrey Azoulay explains world. They see themselves as losing something by not engaging, in the name of their own interests, whether on normative issues, on artificial intelligence, or on our educational work in Africa. When your chair is empty, you have no say. »

Precious relay in the Arab world

After her election, Audrey Azoulay managed to impose a new mode of deliberation on texts related to the Middle East. For years, decisions regarding ancient Jerusalem or the tomb of the patriarchs in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, have been the subject of controversy. The parties involved are torn about the terminology and the names of the localities and the naming of the otherOn Audrey Azoulay. The change in approach is to not leave them face to face and UNESCO protection from the use of sterile instruments. »

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