After withdrawing its membership nearly six years ago, the United States has expressed interest in rejoining the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). According to a spokesperson from the State Department who confirmed the news to Axios, Richard Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for management and resources, sent a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay last week laying out a plan for the U.S. to return to the agency. A negotiated plan between the U.S. and UNESCO includes a timetable for payment of the U.S. debt and readmission to the agency’s executive board. Lawmakers approved a bill last year that allocated over $500 million to pay the U.S. debt to UNESCO, paving the way for its full membership to be reinstated. UNESCO has informed member states of a meeting set for Monday, where a briefing will be given to members on the U.S. plans to return to the agency and ask for their approval to hold a special general conference next month to welcome the U.S. decision. Rejoining the UN-based agency is a priority for the Biden Administration, in part to counteract the growing influence of the Chinese government in UNESCO. Israel, which also left UNESCO, informed the State Department last year that it would not oppose a U.S. return to the agency.
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