The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had prepared for the US decision to withdraw from it and is “better protected in terms of budget” than other UN agencies, according to its Director-General, Audrey Azoulay.
However, Ms. Azoulay expressed “great regret” over the decision, despite having “anticipated” it.
The United States announced on Tuesday its decision to withdraw from UNESCO, claiming the organisation was biased against Israel and sows “division.” The US also withdrew during the first term of President Donald Trump.
In recent years, UNESCO has aimed to reduce its reliance on US funding by increasing the share of voluntary contributions, which have doubled under Ms. Azoulay’s leadership. “Nevertheless, this decision will impact our activities in the coming years or compel us to seek other funding sources,” she added.
She also pointed out that the US contribution of $75 million per year constituted 8% of UNESCO’s total budget.
French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged his “unconditional support” to UNESCO, which is headquartered in Paris. “The US withdrawal will not weaken our commitment alongside those who continue this fight,” he wrote on X.
Gideon Saar, Israel’s Foreign Minister, stated that the US withdrawal was a necessary step to promote justice and Israel’s right to fair treatment within the UN, a right often undermined by the organisation’s politicisation.
Despite leaving UNESCO, the US remains a member of the World Heritage Committee, responsible for designating landscapes to be protected by the organisation.
