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 decade-long dispute sparked by the organization's move to include Palestine as a member.
U.S. officials say the decision to return was motivated by concern that China is filling the gap left by the U.S. in UNESCO policymaking, notably in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology education around the world.
Applause 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. The return of the U.S., once the agency's biggest funder, is expected to face a vote by its 193 member states next month, according to a UNESCO diplomat.
Since her election in 2017, Azoulay has worked to address the reasons the U.S. left, through budget reforms and building consensus among Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli diplomats around sensitive UNESCO resolutions. Azoulay -- who is Jewish -- won broad praise by UNESCO ambassadors for her personal efforts to address U.S. concerns around Israel in particular.
The diplomats were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the behind-the-scenes work that led to the U.S. decision. That makes up a big chunk of UNESCO's $534 million annual operating budget. Before leaving, the U.S. contributed 22% of the agency's overall funding. The U.S. absence plunged the agency into financial uncertainty. UNESCO diplomats described belt-squeezing across agency programs and aggressive efforts by Azoulay to boost voluntary financing from other countries to fill gaps.
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