Originally published on the CGS blog on November 1, 2011.
Yesterday UNESCO, the U.N. agency most famously known for designating world heritage sites and tasked with promoting education, science, and freedom of expression around the world, voted to approve full membership to Palestine, with 107 members voting in favor, 14 voting against it, and 52 abstaining.
Immediately following the vote, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), chairwoman of the House Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, denounced the vote and said she will advocate “for all funding to be cut off.” The United States contributes $60 million to the agency, comprising 22% of UNESCO’s annual budget. After the announcement, the State Department said it would halt the payment of its contribution to UNESCO and would follow suit with other U.N. agencies should they replicate UNESCO’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state. However, the wisdom of this policy isn’t even up for debate because existing U.S. law requires funding be denied to any U.N. agency that gives the Palestinian Liberation Organization the same standing of a member state before the Israelis and Palestinians reach a peace agreement.
Holding funding hostage to the U.N. on a singular issue is irresponsible. The United Nations is an institution, made up of member states. A select number of member states have decided to bring up the question of recognizing Palestine. Funding for the United Nations should not be held hostage based on the actions of some of its members. It’s similar to blaming Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks losing a game.
This action also sends the wrong message to our partners. We must hold ourselves to the standards we expect other nations to abide. If another country decided to break the rules and not pay its fair share due to a disagreement over a single policy at the U.N., there would be an international uproar.
Slashing funding doesn’t serve United States’ interests. UNESCO is the U.N.’s cultural agency that works on issues relating to global development, all of which align with America’s foreign policy goals, including the promotion of science, literacy, clean water, and the equal treatment of women and girls throughout the world.
UNESCO’s work also aligns with American values. The agency advocates for freedom of the press and the promotion of an independent media. It speaks out against persecutions and killings of journalists. It also supports community-based media programs to expand discourse in nations that have state-controlled media and to promote the voices of minorities.
Americans value ingenuity, which UNESCO promotes through “scientific diplomacy,” bringing scientists together from around the world to forge cooperation on technological advancements, including improving access to clean water. This partnership also allows for scientists to come together to tackle the world’s most pressing problems, such as assessing damage caused by flooding in Pakistan last year and discovering ways to prevent future catastrophes.
Our nation also recognizes the importance of education. UNESCO created a pilot program for to improve literacy for girls in Pakistan by using cell phones as a platform. Not only does this improve literacy rates among girls; it also empowers girls by connecting them to the larger community.
The diversity of U.S. organizations that partner with UNESCO speaks to the importance of its engagement around the world. The Smithsonian Institute has worked with the agency on initiatives to educate local populations on the preservation of artifacts. Other U.S. organizations and companies that work with UNESCO include the Boys and Girls’ Club, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Library of Congress, Apple, Cisco, Proctor & Gamble, and Microsoft.
Disengaging with UNESCO by cutting its funding will only hurt our foreign policy priorities and elevate the agendas of nations that wish to undercut the agency. U.S. engagement with UNESCO assured that World Philosophy Day would not be hosted in Iran, a country well-known for its lack of freedom of expression.
The American people understand that resolving the conflict in the Middle East and funding U.N. agencies are two important but separate issues. A poll from the Better World Campaign found that a majority of Americans support the United Nations, with 85% of voters saying that it is important for the U.S. to maintain an active role in the U.N. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike all support paying U.N. dues on time and in full.
As a nation, we need to take a step back and realize we gain nothing from cutting funding and disengaging with U.N. agencies over Palestinian statehood. But by withholding funding, we will lose the ability to promote American values that we cherish, such as freedom of expression, the right to education, the promotion of ingenuity, and working together to tackle the world’s most difficult problems.
There are reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency could be next to recognize Palestine, thereby again activating the law for the U.S. to halt payment of our contributions. The IAEA has been instrumental in monitoring nuclear weapons programs in North Korea and Iran. If we withold paying what we owe, we are risking losing the ability to keep track of nuclear weapons around the world and ensure the safe use of nuclear energy. Congress should reexamine this unwise policy and repeal the law that forces U.N. funding to be tied to the recognition of Palestine.
Click here to read an interview with U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO David Killion conducted by Citizens for Global Solutions CEO Don Kraus.
