The United States has been readmitted to the United Nation’s Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after a long four year stretch of absence after they left off over what President Trump’s administration called “anti Israeli Bias”.

The reunion of the US to the organization came after a two- day special session held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris where member states had to make the decision. The US government under President Biden committed to rejoin the body to counter ‘Chinese influence’ seeing China has been on top of policy making without the US in the picture.

” I am encouraged and grateful that UNESCO members have accepted the US proposal that will allow us to continue steps toward rejoining the organization,” US secretary of state – Antony Blinken said in a statement.

China had become the organization’s biggest financial backer while the US was away. Of the 193 member states, 142 participated in the vote to decide US admission to the organization.

10 countries including; Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, China and Nicaragua votes against the US rejoining organization.

As a condition for re-admission, the US will repay around $619m in unpaid dues, meet 22% of UNESCO’s annual budget, and make contributions to programs supporting education access initiatives in Africa, Holocaust remembrance and Journalists’ Safety.

“If we are not engaged in international institutions, then we leave a void and lose an opportunity to advance American values and interests on the global stage”, The US  ambassador to the UN – Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Courtesy photo.