U.S. withdrawal contradicts fundamental principles of multilateralism: UNESCO head

UNESCO director-general expressed regret over the U.S. decision, rejecting the stated reasons.

PARIS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Audrey Azoulay, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Tuesday that U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism.

Deeply regretting the decision made by U.S. President Donald Trump, Azoulay warned that the withdrawal might affect foremost UNESCO's partners in the United States, in particularly communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status, and University Chairs.

On Tuesday, the United States announced a decision to withdraw from UNESCO by the end of December 2026, just two years after rejoining the organization. This marks the third time Washington has exited UNESCO.

According to a statement by the U.S. State Department, the withdrawal was prompted by what Washington perceived as UNESCO's tendency to "advance divisive social and cultural causes," particularly regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In response, the UNESCO director-general expressed regret over the U.S. decision, rejecting the stated reasons. She emphasized that UNESCO remains a "rare forum for building consensus through concrete, action-oriented multilateralism."

"These claims also contradict the reality of UNESCO's efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism," she added.

Despite the loss of funding from the United States, Azoulay affirmed that the U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO in 2026 will not affect the organization's normal operations, as its financial position has been significantly strengthened.

"We have implemented major structural reforms and diversified our funding sources. Thanks to the efforts made by the Organization since 2018, the decline in U.S. financial contributions has been effectively offset," she stated.

Azoulay also emphasized that UNESCO has intensified its efforts to take meaningful action wherever its mission can contribute to peace, reaffirming the critical importance of its mandate, even in the wake of the last U.S. withdrawal under President Trump in 2017. ■