The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has agreed to readmit the United States as a member state after the governing board voted 132-10 Friday, the Associated Press reported.
According to Washington officials, the US would again become an official member of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken or a designee formally accepted the invitation.
Among those who opposed the US readmission were the Russian, Palestinian, and North Korean delegations. The session was adjourned due to fatigue on the part of UNESCO interpreters. Other countries that opposed the proposal were Belarus, China, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Nicaragua, and Syria.
US Returning to UNESCO a Second Time
The Biden administration announced early in June that it would apply to rejoin the organization due to China's influence and hegemony following its departure in 2017 under President Donald Trump after the organization was alleged to hold an anti-Israel bias.
The previous decision was triggered when UNESCO voted to include Palestine as a member state in 2011, resulting in both the US and Israel withdrawing their financial support to the organization.
The White House added it has requested $150 million for the 2024 budget to go toward UNESCO dues and arrears, with future arrangements being planned to pay the US's full debt worth $619 million. The payments would make up a significant portion of UNESCO's $534 million annual operating budget.
UNESCO plays a major role in setting international standards for artificial intelligence (AI) and technology education worldwide.
The US previously withdrew from UNESCO in 1984 under the Reagan administration due to the organization being viewed as mismanaged, corrupt, and used to advance Soviet interests. It rejoined in 2003 during former President George W. Bush's presidency.
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