US rejoins UNESCO

On June 30, the United NationsEducational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced that the United States has rejoined the organization.

At the extraordinary plenary session of this body, member countries voted in favor of the US's return, with 132 votes in favor, 10 votes against and 15 abstentions.

The United States was a founding member of UNESCO and a major contributor to the agency’s budget until 2011, when UNESCO accepted Palestine as a member state. After that event, the United States stopped contributing to UNESCO because, under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1990, the United States would cut off support for any UN organization that accorded the Palestine Liberation Organization the same status as other member states.

Six years later, in 2017, then-US President Donald Trump announced that the US, along with Israel, would withdraw from UNESCO, citing the organization’s bias and anti-Jewish stance. The decision took effect in 2018.

However, on June 8, the US State Department sent a letter to UNESCO expressing its desire to rejoin as an official member in July. UNESCO's move came after the US Congress decided to exempt UNESCO from the Foreign Relations Authorization Act from the beginning of this year until 2025. In addition, Washington also pledged to gradually pay the $619 million contribution for the hiatus period.

Under the proposed repayment plan, the United States said it would pay $150 million for 2024, including annual contributions and debt payments. It would also provide an additional $10 million in voluntary funding for education and cultural heritage preservation.

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