EU Regrets US Decision to Leave UNESCO

Brusels, MINA – The European Union expressed on Saturday its regret over the decision by the US and Israel to withdraw from UNESCO.

“Our commitment to UNESCO is a matter of interests as much as of principles.
Our goal is to make UNESCO deliver fully on its mission, and our support to UNESCO is here to stay. The EU is and will continue to be an indispensable partner in support of the UN system and multilateralism,” KUNA quoted as saying EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner for culture Tibor Navracsics in a joint statement.

“UNESCO is an essential pillar of the multilateral system, a global force for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity and heritage, the strongest supporter of the universal right to education and of freedom of expression,” it noted.

The EU also congratulated Audrey Azoulay on her election as new Director General of UNESCO and said ” we will continue to work together to protect, strengthen and relaunch UNESCO, as part of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ broader work to reform the UN system”. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)