The US plans to rejoin Unesco in July, nearly five years after the country withdrew from the UN's culture agency under former president Donald Trump over allegations of anti-Israel bias.
“This is a strong act of confidence in Unesco and in multilateralism,” Audrey Azoulay, the agency's director general, said in a statement on Monday.
The agency's stated mission is to “contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information”.
It is perhaps best known, however, for designating World Heritage sites such as Palmyra in Syria and the Taj Mahal in India. The agency is also undertaking the restoration of historic buildings in Mosul, Iraq, that were damaged during the fight against ISIS.
The culture agency said the US State Department sent a letter to Ms Azoulay welcoming “the way in which Unesco had addressed in recent years emerging challenges, modernised its management, and reduced political tensions”.
The letter noted progress Unesco has made in depoliticising debate on the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.
Ms Azoulay has spent years working with Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli diplomats to address sensitive topics. She told AP that the US return to Unesco is the result of years of work of calming tension, “notably in the Middle East”.
Former president Barack Obama's administration cut funding to Unesco in 2011 after Palestine joined the agency. US law prohibits funding any agency that recognises Palestinian statehood.
Mr Trump announced in 2017 his intention to pull the US out of the agency entirely. Israel withdrew from Unesco at the same time the US did in 2018.
-
1. India's Taj Mahal is the world's most searched for Unesco World Heritage site, according to Zitango Travel, travel agents and destination specialists. -
2. Peru's ancient Inca capital Machu Picchu is the world's second most searched for Unesco Heritage site. Photo: Pedro Szekely / flickr -
3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was added to the Unesco list in 2017. AFP -
4. Yellowstone National Park in western US is the fourth most searched for Unesco heritage site. AP Photo -
5. The stone circle at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, in the UK. PA -
6. The Statue of Liberty in New York. AFP -
7. Petra archeological site is one of Jordan's most famous landmarks. EPA -
8. Italy's Cinque Terre is ranked eighth globally but first in Europe in the most popular Unesco-listed World Heritage sites. Unsplash / Mark Pecar -
9. France's Palace of Versailles. Unsplash / Matthias Redding -
10. Mexico's Chichen Itza Mayan ruins. Unsplash / Mario La Pergola
Congress approved a waiver in December from President Joe Biden's administration to rejoin Unesco,
Rejoining the agency has been one of Mr Biden's top priorities since taking office, mainly to counter the influence China has gained since the US withdrawal.
Unesco said the US inclusion in the culture agency would be on the basis of a “concrete financing plan”. Washington was one of the agency's leading financial supporters when it left in 2018 and owed $542 million when it withdrew.
The proposal will be voted on next month, ABC News reported, citing a Unesco diplomat. Some member states requested an extraordinary session to be held soon so a vote could be made, the agency said.
