To counter Chinese influence, US decides to rejoin UNESCO and pay back dues

UN cultural and scientific agency UNESCO announced Monday that the United States plans to rejoin and pay more than 600 million in back dues after a decadelong dispute sparked by the organizations move to include Palestine as a memberUS officials say the decision to return was motivated by concern that China is filling the gap left by the US in UNESCO policymaking notably in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology education around the worldUS 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 rejoinApplause 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 and the new influx of money The return of the US once the agencys biggest funder is expected to face a vote by its 193 member states next month according to a UNESCO diplomatThe decision is a big financial boost to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization known for its World Heritage program as well as projects to fight climate change and teach girls to readThe US and Israel stopped funding UNESCO after it voted to include Palestine as a member state in 2011 and both countries lost their voting rights in 2013 The Trump administration decided in 2017 to withdraw from the agency altogether the following year citing antiIsrael bias and management problemsIn his letter last week Verma noted efforts by UNESCO toward management reform and ldquodecreasing politicized debate especially on Middle East issuesrdquo A delegation from Washington came to Paris last week to handdeliver the letter obtained by the APSince her election in 2017 Azoulay has worked to address the reasons the US left through budget reforms and building consensus among Jordanian Palestinian and Israeli diplomats around sensitive UNESCO resolutionsAlso readMaharashtra More than 1000 snake bite cases 14 deaths in 17 months in RaigadThe US decision to come back ldquois 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 organizationrdquo Azoulay told The Associated PressShe 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 US decision to return is for the long term regardless of who wins next years presidential electionThe diplomats were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the behindthescenes work that led to the US decisionUnder the plan the US 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 Vermas letter saysThe 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 offThat makes up a big chunk of UNESCOs 534 million annual operating budget Before leaving the US contributed 2237 of the agencys overall fundingUndersecretary of State for Management John Bass said in March that the US absence from UNESCO has strengthened China and undercuts our ability to be as effective in promoting our vision of a free worldrdquoHe said UNESCO is key in setting and shaping standards for technology and science teaching around the world ldquoso if were really serious about the digitalage competition with China we cant afford to be absent any longerrdquoThe US absence plunged the agency into financial uncertainty UNESCO diplomats described beltsqueezing across agency programs and aggressive efforts by Azoulay to boost voluntary financing from other countries to fill gapsOne diplomat expressed hope that the return of the US would bring ldquomore ambition and more serenityrdquo and energize programs to regulate artificial intelligence educate girls in Afghanistan and chronicle victims of slavery in the CaribbeanThe diplomat said that the agency would also ldquowelcomerdquo Israel back if it wanted to rejoinThe 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 2003This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever