New York: The United States announced on Tuesday that it will leave the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which will take effect at the end of December 2026. I deeply regret President Donald Trump's decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the Paris-based agency, said in a statement.
According to United Nations, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Secretary-General joins Ms. Azoulay in deeply regretting the decision by the United States. The statement also said the organization is focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it described as a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with America's foreign policy.
The statement specifically cited UNESCO's decision to admit the State of Palestine as a Member State as problematic, contrary to US policy and fueling the United Nations anti-Israel rhetoric. Ms. Azoulay in her statement denied these claims that UNESCO is anti-Israel, highlighting the organization's work in Holocaust education and combating antisemitism.
UNESCO is the only United Nations agency responsible for these issues, and its work has been unanimously acclaimed by major specialized organizations, she said, including American organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Ms. Azoulay stressed that this announcement was anticipated, and the organization has prepared accordingly, highlighting major structural reforms in recent years, including the diversification of funding sources. The decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, she explained. Despite the US now representing eight per cent of the organization's budget, UNESCO's budget has steadily increased thanks to donations from member states and private contributors, the latter of which have doubled since 2018.
Today, the Organization is better protected in financial terms, she said. UNESCO's purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, and the United States of America is and will always be welcome, Ms. Azoulay emphasised. The organization will continue to work with its US partners in the private, academic and non-profit sectors, and it will pursue discussions with the US Government.
