Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, left, and US Secretary of State John Kerry smile during a luncheon at the UNESCO in Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015. US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday launched a charm offensive at UNESCO in a bid to keep America’s seat on the world cultural agency’s executive board despite not having paid hundreds of millions of dollars in dues for the past four years. AP
PARIS — The United States has been re-elected to UNESCO’s executive board, a symbolic victory for Washington as it seeks to retain sway in the UN cultural and scientific agency even though the US stopped financing it.
Secretary of State John Kerry, who recently traveled to Paris to woo UNESCO diplomats, hailed Wednesday’s decision. In a statement, he said the US would use its role to counter violent extremism, improve education for girls and promoting research and media freedom.
He also pledged to work to restore US funding to UNESCO, halted in 2011 after the agency voted to include Palestine as a member. US law forbids government funding to international organizations that recognize Palestinian statehood.
After Kerry’s visit, no challengers emerged to threaten the US board seat, making Wednesday’s vote a formality.
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