U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the further suspension of funding for the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and a review of U.S. participation in UNESCO.
During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump also halted funding for UNRWA, arguing that Palestinians needed to agree to resume peace negotiations with Israel. He also demanded reforms within the agency, but did not specify what those reforms should be, reports Voice of America.
Trump’s first administration also withdrew from the 47-member Human Rights Council halfway through the U.S. three-year term in the body, citing bias against Israel and a lack of reforms as the reasons for the decision.
The U.S. is not currently a member of the council, which is headquartered in Geneva. Under former President Joseph Biden, the U.S. term in the council lasted from 2022 to 2024.
A working group within the council is expected to review the human rights situation in the U.S. later this year, as part of a universal periodic review process that all countries undergo every few years.
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The council’s decisions are not legally binding, but its discussions carry political weight, and criticisms made within the body can increase global pressure on certain governments to change course, reports Voice of America.
Since reassuming office on January 20, Trump has also ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement—moves that he also made during his first term.
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Sourcer: Euronews, Foto: Reuters