US officially rejoins UNESCO after five-year absence

The United States has officially rejoined UNESCO, the UN agency for education, science and culture, after a unanimous vote by current member states. The US had first announced its intention to withdraw in 2017 under the Trump administration, citing alleged anti-Israel bias, and formally left in 2019. The Biden administration pushed for reentry, motivated by concerns over China's growing influence, whose contributions had risen to about $65 million. Rejoining costs the US approximately $619 million in arrears, to be paid in installments, making it the 194th member state. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay called the return "a historic moment" and "great news for multilateralism," noting that additional resources will support priorities including Africa and gender equality. The US was a founding member of UNESCO in 1946, alongside 19 other states.